Thomas K. Mattingly II, Esteemed Apollo 13 Support Astronaut, Passes Away at 87

Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II, renowned for his pivotal support role during the Apollo 13 crisis, has passed away, as confirmed by NASA. He was 87 years of age.

“It is with a profound sense of loss that we mark the passing of one of our nation’s finest on October 31,” remarked NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on Thursday.

“Mattingly’s indispensable contributions to the Apollo Program were monumental, and his vibrant spirit will be etched in the annals of history,” Nelson added.

The specifics of Mattingly’s passing, including the location and cause, were not disclosed by NASA. The New York Times has cited Arlington, Virginia, as the place of his death.

Mattingly’s career with NASA commenced in 1966 after serving as a Navy pilot. His work was instrumental in the development of the spacesuit and backpack used during the Apollo lunar expeditions, according to NASA.

His inaugural journey into space occurred in 1972 as the command module pilot for Apollo 16, where he circumnavigated the moon. While his colleagues descended to the lunar surface, Mattingly executed a spacewalk to retrieve film canisters containing lunar photographs.

Mattingly’s subsequent years saw him at the helm of two space shuttle missions before retiring with the rank of rear admiral from both NASA and the Navy.

His most memorable contribution, however, was during a mission he ultimately did not fly: Apollo 13 in 1970. Slated to pilot the command module, Mattingly was reassigned just days before launch due to exposure to German measles.

Although he never developed the disease, John Swigert Jr. took his place. When an oxygen tank exploded on the service module mid-mission, jeopardizing the lives of astronauts Swigert, James Lovell, and Fred Haise and cancelling the lunar landing, Mattingly was integral to the ground team’s efforts to devise a survival strategy.

Deeply familiar with the spacecraft, Mattingly collaborated with engineers to troubleshoot the crisis and relay crucial guidance to the crew.

The astronauts, huddled in the lunar lander repurposed as a makeshift “lifeboat,” managed to navigate around the moon and return safely to Earth, thanks in large part to Mattingly’s decisive input from mission control.

Reflecting on the incident, Mattingly emphasized the importance of a relentless pursuit of success from the outset, a sentiment he shared in a 2001 oral history interview for NASA.

The harrowing tale of Apollo 13 was chronicled in the 1994 book “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13” by astronaut James Lovell and in the subsequent 1995 film adaptation “Apollo 13,” with actor Gary Sinise portraying Mattingly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ken Mattingly Apollo 13

More about Ken Mattingly Apollo 13

• NASA’s Remembrance of Ken Mattingly
• Ken Mattingly’s Oral History Interview
• Obituary: Ken Mattingly, Apollo Astronaut
• Apollo 16 Mission Overview
• Apollo 13: The Real Story
• The Apollo Space Suit Development
• Ken Mattingly’s Space Shuttle Missions