Alyssa Villanueva, an engineer at Blue Marble in NASA Ames' Space Biosciences Division, received recognition for technical excellence and support to the LEIA (Lunar Explorer Instrument for space biology Applications) team. She contributed to engineering validation testing and preparation efforts for the project.
Steve Howell, an astrophysicist at Ames, leads scientific teams for international space missions and has advanced astronomical instrumentation for space and ground-based telescopes. The Astronomical Society of the Pacific recently awarded him the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for his lifetime contributions to the field.
Samuel LeBlanc, a research scientist for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in Ames' Earth Science Division, advanced the center's flight planning capabilities for NASA airborne science missions. His work positioned Ames as a leader in airborne science flight planning and enabled cost-effective missions.
NASA Ames recognized the three scientists in November 2026 as part of its monthly Stars of the Month program.