American astronaut Thomas Mattingly, who worked with NASA, passed away at the age of 87 on Tuesday. He played a key role in bringing back the crew of Apollo 13, which encountered an accident, through his efforts from the ground control. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, "At that time, Thomas Mattingly, also known as Ken Mattingly, was scheduled to command the Apollo 13 mission, but this decision was reversed 72 hours before the launch due to his exposure to a person with German measles."
In April 1970, during the Apollo 13 mission, an explosion crippled the spacecraft while on its way to the moon. Mattingly, who ultimately did not contract the measles, went to the mission control center and took measures to conserve power, allowing the spacecraft to re-enter the atmosphere, thus saving the lives of astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise aboard. The mission gained further fame due to the film "Apollo 13," released in 1995, where Gary Sinise portrayed Mattingly.
Mattingly began his career as a naval aviator before being selected as an astronaut in 1966. At NASA, he commanded the Apollo 16 mission and two other missions. Nelson stated, "Thomas's contributions have allowed us to develop processes that teach us beyond space."
