It did not launch from Balamban, but one of its own helped guide a spacecraft that reached farther from Earth than any human flight in more than half a century.
An engineer from Balamban town has been recognized for her role in NASA’s Artemis II mission, a flagship program aimed at returning astronauts to the Moon.
Arianne “Nikki” Jubay Lazaro, a senior materials engineer and member of the Orion Fracture Control Team, contributed to the safety of critical spacecraft systems, including the Environmental Control and Life Support System and major structural components.
Balamban Mayor Amos Edwin Cabahug congratulated Lazaro and said her work reflects pride for the town and her family.
He said: “You serve as an inspiration to the youth of Balamban and beyond, proving that with passion, perseverance, and hard work, even the stars are within reach,”
NASA linked Lazaro’s work to the broader engineering effort behind Artemis II, which serves as a major step toward future lunar surface missions.
NASA completed the Artemis II mission after astronauts finished a nearly 10-day test flight and safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking a deep-space journey that set a new distance record for human spaceflight.
The mission carried NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen aboard the Orion spacecraft launched by the Space Launch System rocket.
The Balamban mayor also noted Lazaro’s family background. Her mother, Ethel Jubay Lazaro, comes from Barangay Aliwanay, while her father is Alberto Lazaro.
The mayor also acknowledged the guidance of her grandparents, Rogelio “Rolly” Jubay and Josephine “Bebe” Jubay.
Balamban lies about 48 kilometers northwest of Cebu City along the western coast of Cebu province.
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