Ken Mattingly was an American aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot, rear admiral in the United States Navy and astronaut who flew on the Apollo 16, and Space Shuttle STS-4 and STS-51-C missions.
Mattingly was scheduled to fly on the Apollo 13 mission, but three days prior to launch, he was replaced by Jack Swigert due to exposure to German measles (which Mattingly did not contract).
Ken Mattingly later flew as Command Module Pilot for Apollo 16 and made 64 lunar orbits,[2] making him one of 24 people to fly to the Moon.
Mattingly and his commander from Apollo 16, John Young, are the only people to have flown to the Moon and also a Space Shuttle mission (Fred Haise, his former training crewmate from Apollo 13, did atmospheric flight testing of the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests).
During Apollo 16’s return flight to Earth, Mattingly performed an extravehicular activity (EVA) to retrieve film cassettes from the exterior of the spacecraft, the command and service module.
It was the second “deep space” EVA in history, at great distance from any planetary body.
As of 2023, it remains one of only three such EVAs which have taken place, all during the Apollo program’s J-missions.
Ken Mattingly Biography
Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II was born on March 17, 1936, in Chicago, Illinois, to Thomas Kenneth Mattingly (1903–1995) and Constance Mason Mattingly (née Clarke; 1905–1997).
His father, who had been hired by Eastern Airlines soon after his son’s birth, moved the family to Hialeah, Florida.
Aviation became part of Mattingly’s life from a very young age; he later recalled that his “earliest memories … all had to do with airplanes”.
Mattingly was active in the Boy Scouts of America where he achieved its second highest rank, Life Scout.
graduated from Miami Edison High School in 1954, and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Auburn University in 1958.
He was also a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity (Epsilon Alpha chapter).
Ken Mattingly was also a naval aviator, aeronautical engineer, test pilot and rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. Some of his career highlights are:
He was selected as an astronaut in 1966 and served as a support crew member for Apollo 8 and 11.
He was originally assigned to Apollo 13, but was replaced by Jack Swigert due to exposure to German measles.
He played a vital role in helping the crew return safely after an explosion in the service module.
He flew as the command module pilot for Apollo 16 in 1972 and orbited the moon 64 times.
He also performed a spacewalk to retrieve film cassettes from the exterior of the spacecraft.
He was the commander of the fourth space shuttle mission, STS-4, in 1982, which was the final orbital test flight of the shuttle program.
He and his crewmate Henry Hartsfield tested the shuttle’s systems and deployed a classified payload.
He was the commander of the first Department of Defense space shuttle mission, STS-51-C, in 1985, which launched a secret military satellite into orbit.
He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1985 and worked as a vice president for Rockwell International and later for Systems Planning and Analysis, a defense contractor.
He received numerous awards and honors for his achievements, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal and the International Space Hall of Fame induction.
He was portrayed by Gary Sinise in the 1995 film Apollo 13, which dramatized the events of the ill-fated mission.
Ken Mattingly Wife
Ken Mattingly’s wife was Elizabeth Dailey. They got married in June 1970, two months after Apollo 13 returned to Earth.
She was from Hollywood, California. Not much else is known about her, as Mattingly was very private about his personal life.
Ken Mattingly Children
Thomas Kenneth Mattingly III is the only child (son) of Ken Mattingly, the former astronaut who flew on the Apollo 16, STS-4 and STS-51-C missions.
He was born in 1972, two months after his father returned from the moon.
He is a neurosurgeon who specializes in complex spine surgery and spinal cord injury.
He works at Neurosurgical Associates in Richmond, Virginia2. He is married and has two children.
Ken Mattingly Parents
Ken Mattingly’s parents were Thomas Kenneth Mattingly (1903–1995) and Constance Mason Mattingly (née Clarke; 1905–1997).
His father was a pilot for Eastern Airlines and his mother was a homemaker. They moved from Chicago to Hialeah, Florida, when Mattingly was a child.
Ken Mattingly Siblings
Ken Mattingly had five sisters and one brother. Their names are:
Mary Wilkerson
Joanne Hutchins
Elaine Greenwell
Lillian Oliver
Kathy Tharpe
Joe Pat Mattingly
Ken Mattingly Family
Ken Mattingly had a large family. Here is a list of his relatives:
Parents: Thomas Kenneth Mattingly (1903–1995) and Constance Mason Mattingly (née Clarke; 1905–1997)
Wife: Elizabeth Dailey
Son: Son: Thomas Kenneth Mattingly III.
Sisters: Mary Wilkerson, Joanne Hutchins, Elaine Greenwell, Lillian Oliver, Kathy Tharpe.
Brother: Joe Pat Mattingly
Grandchildren: Ellyn Alexandria and Kamille Ruth
Ken Mattingly Net worth
Ken Mattingly’s net worth is $14 million as of 2023. He earned the money being a professional astronaut and a naval officer.
Ken Mattingly cause of death
Ken Mattingly died in Arlington, Virginia on October 31, 2023. NASA announced his death two days later but did not specify the cause or location.
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