Thomas Ken Mattingly, an astronaut renowned for his role in the Apollo lunar program and his critical involvement in the Apollo 13 mission rescue, has passed away at 87, NASA announced.
The United States mourns the loss of Mattingly, hailed as one of the nation’s esteemed heroes.
Known affectionately as TK, Mattingly was initially assigned to fly with Apollo 13 but was withdrawn just days before its April 1970 launch after being exposed to German measles.
The mission later suffered a notorious oxygen tank explosion en route to the moon, leading to the historic phrase “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” which is frequently misquoted.
While Mattingly didn’t fly with Apollo 13, he played an instrumental role from Earth, making crucial contributions to the power conservation strategies that were vital for the safe re-entry of the crew.
NASA’s statement acknowledged his decisive actions that were pivotal in ensuring the safe return of the imperiled spacecraft and its astronauts.
His portrayal by actor Gary Sinise in the 1995 Academy Award-winning film “Apollo 13” brought Mattingly’s role in the mission to the silver screen.
Mattingly eventually orbited the moon during the Apollo 16 mission in April 1972. Reflecting on his experience, he once voiced his overwhelming sense of awe, remarking to NASA about the fear of being unable to remember it all due to the sheer impressiveness of the sight.
Mattingly was a part of NASA’s Astronaut Group 5, selected in 1966 as America intensified its efforts to achieve a lunar landing within the decade. Prior to his own space voyages, he served on the support crews for Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the moon, and Apollo 11, the landmark first moon landing.
Following the Apollo missions, Mattingly continued his work with NASA in the Space Shuttle program, commanding both the STS-4 and STS-51C missions, further contributing to the legacy of human space exploration.
