Thomas K. Mattingly II

Mattingly is one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He served as a member of the astronaut support crews for the Apollo 8 and 11 missions and was the astronaut representative in development and testing of the Apollo spacesuit and backpack. He was designated command module pilot for the Apollo 13 flight but was removed from flight status 72 hours prior to the scheduled launch due to exposure to the German measles.

Quick Facts

Mattingly is one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966.

Originally scheduled for the Apollo 13 flight, Mattingly was removed from flight status 72 hours prior to launch due to exposure to German measles. He later flew on Apollo 16.

Mattingly was the commander for STS-4 and STS-51C space shuttle missions.

S71-51295 (21 Sept. 1971) — Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II
NASA

This is the Apollo 16 lunar landing mission crew portrait. Pictured from left to right are: Thomas K. Mattingly II, Command Module pilot; John W. Young, Mission Commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., Lunar Module pilot. Launched from the Kennedy Space Center on April 16, 1972, Apollo 16 spent three days on Earth’s Moon. The first study of the highlands area, the landing site for Apollo 16 was the Descartes Highlands. The fifth lunar landing mission out of six, Apollo 16 was famous for deploying and using an ultraviolet telescope as the first lunar observatory. The telescope photographed ultraviolet light emitted by Earth and other celestial objects. The Lunar Roving Vehicle, developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center, was also used for collecting rocks and data on the mysterious lunar highlands. In this photo, astronaut John W. Young photographs Charles M. Duke, Jr. collecting rock samples at the Descartes landing site. Duke stands by Plum Crater while the Lunar Roving Vehicle waits parked in the background. High above, Thomas K. Mattingly orbits in the Command Module. The mission ended April 27, 1972 as the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.

Ken Mattingly performs a spacewalk on the trans-Earth cost for Apollo 16 — S72-37001 (25 April 1972) — Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, performs an extravehicular activity (EVA) during the Apollo 16 trans-Earth coast. Mattingly is assisted by astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot. Mattingly inspected the SIM Bay or Service Module (SM), and retrieved film from the Mapping and Panoramic Cameras. Mattingly is wearing the helmet of astronaut John W. Young, commander. The helmet’s lunar EVA visor assembly helped protect Mattingly’s eyes from the bright sun. This view is a frame from motion picture film exposed by a 16mm Maurer camera.
NASA

S82-31207 (1 May 1982) — These two astronauts will man the space shuttle Columbia for NASA’s fourth and final (STS-4) orbital flight test. Thomas K. (Ken) Mattingly II, right, is crew commander. Henry W. Hartsfield Jr., is pilot. Their flight is scheduled for launch in late June 1982, and is to last approximately one week, with launch to take place form KSC and landing to be on the dry lake beds of Edwards Air Force Base and Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRC) in California. Photo credit: NASA
NASA

Biography

Thomas K. Mattingly

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S72-16659 (January 1972) — Astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II

Missions

All Apollo Missions

Apollo 16

Three primary objectives of the Apollo 16 mission were (1) to inspect, survey, and sample materials and surface features at a selected landing site in the Descartes region; (2) emplace…

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Apr 27, 1972 08:44 UTC

All Crewed Missions

STS-4

The final test flight of the Space Transportation System

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Jul 04, 1982 09:09 UTC

All Crewed Missions

STS-51C

This was the first mission dedicated to the Department of Defense. The U.S. Air Force Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) booster was deployed and met the mission objectives. STS-51C was originally…

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Jan 27, 1985 03:46 UTC