NASA Ames Directorate honors Alyssa Villanueva, Steve Howell, and Samuel LeBlanc as Stars of the Month for November 2026, noting their impact on operations.

The NASA Ames Science Directorate named Alyssa Villanueva, Steve Howell, and Samuel LeBlanc as its Stars of the Month for November 2026, recognizing their technical work and collaborative contributions to mission operations.

The monthly award program honors civil service and contractor personnel whose efforts advance scientific research, hardware engineering, and data collection initiatives across space biosciences, astrophysics, and atmospheric sciences.

Space Biosciences Star Award

Alyssa Villanueva earned recognition as the Space Biosciences Star for November 2026. Villanueva, who serves as an engineer associated with Blue engineering initiatives, received the award for her technical contributions to biological systems research and project hardware execution.

Engineers within the Space Biosciences Division develop and test equipment designed to monitor how living organisms respond to microgravity and deep-space conditions. This hardware supports ongoing investigations aboard orbital facilities and helps inform safety protocols for planned crewed exploration missions.

Directorate Honors for Science and Engineering

Steve Howell and Samuel LeBlanc received recognition alongside Villanueva for their continued research contributions and technical support across directorate programs.

The NASA Ames Science Directorate selects award recipients based on demonstrated technical expertise, entrepreneurial initiative, and effective collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. Program leaders evaluate contributions to active flight projects, ground laboratory studies, and instrument development schedules when determining monthly selections.

Operational Role in Space Exploration

The work performed by the November honorees spans core focus areas within the science division, supporting both foundational research and operational flight hardware. The division manages specialized laboratories, airborne sensors, and supercomputing capabilities dedicated to advancing space exploration goals.

The Ames Science Directorate maintains regular award cycles to acknowledge civil servants, research fellows, and contractor engineers whose daily operational focus enables complex scientific missions to function effectively.