Who is Ken Mattingly? All about the famed astronaut who dies aged 87

Ken Mattingly, the astronaut who flew on the Apollo 16 and Space Shuttle STS-4 and STS-51-C missions has passed away at the age of 87. Mattingly was known for helping the crew of Apollo 13 to safely return to Earth after an explosion doomed their lunar mission.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson called Mattingly “one of our country’s heroes.” In his statement, he added:

"Mattingly was key to the success of our Apollo Program, and his shining personality will ensure he is remembered throughout history."

According to CNN, Mattingly died on Tuesday, October 31, 2023. The cause of death has not been disclosed.

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Ken Mattingly, astronaut who helped save the crew of Apollo 13, began his career with the US Navy

Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II, better known as Ken Mattingly, was born in Chicago on March 17, 1936. The astronaut graduated high school in Miami and earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Auburn University in 1958, according to his NASA biography. He started his career with the US Navy.

Ken Mattingly eventually joined the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School as a student, before being chosen by NASA to be part of the astronaut class in 1966, according to People.

As per CNN, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement that Ken Mattingly not only showed "unparalleled skill as a pilot" but also contributed to the Apollo Program in 1970. He added:

"Perhaps his most dramatic role at NASA was after exposure to rubella just before the launch of Apollo 13. He stayed behind and provided key real-time decisions to successfully bring home the wounded spacecraft and the crew of Apollo 13 – NASA astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise."

The New York Times reported that an oxygen tank explosion knocked out the power and oxygen of Apollo 13’s command module. The three astronauts crowded in an undamaged lunar module that had a capacity of two. Ken Mattingly then gave detailed instructions for the spacecraft's crew to follow.

The accident occurred when the astronauts were 200,000 miles from Earth. However, Mattingly’s instructions from mission control in Houston helped Lovell, now 95, Swigert - who died in 1982- and Haise, now 89, arrive safely back to Earth, as per Fox News.

When the space mission was turned into the 1995 Apollo 13 feature film, Ken Mattingly was portrayed by Gary Sinise. In April 2023, Gary posted a tribute to the astronaut to mark the 53rd anniversary of the mission. He wrote,

"Today marks the 53rd anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. It was an honor to play TK (Ken) Mattingly in the 1995 film with a wonderful cast. Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the making of the movie. Enjoy!"

Mattingly continued to work for NASA through the 1980s but eventually retired from the space agency and the U.S. Navy as a rear admiral.

The former NASA astronaut, who commanded two space shuttle missions died on Tuesday, at the age of 87. Talking about his contributions to the missions, Nelson stated:

"His unparalleled skill as a pilot aided us when he took on the role of command module pilot for Apollo 16 and spacecraft commander for space shuttle missions STS-4 and STS 51-C. The commitment to innovation and resilience toward opposition made TK an excellent figure to embody our mission and our nation’s admiration."

Mattingly is survived by his wife Kathleen (Ruemmele) Mattingly and son Thomas III, as per People.