Apollo 13 Astronaut Played By Gary Sinise Passes Away
It’s a sad day for the impassioned science and space community today, as Phys.org confirms Apollo 13 astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly has passed away. The NASA alumni is best known for safely navigating the nearly-doomed crew of the Apollo 13 mission back to a calm landing, as portrayed by Gay Sinise in the 1995 film. The cause of Mattingly’s death has not yet been made public, though the 87-year-old spacefarer leaves behind a wife and one son.
Ken Mattingly Was Supposed To Board The Infamous Apollo 13 Mission
Though Ken Mattingly, as his colleagues called him, serves as one of the few human beings lucky enough to orbit the moon and command NASA shuttles, the astronaut is arguably best known for his time spent on the surface of Earth. Days before the April 1970 launch of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, Mattingly was grounded from the project due to an exposure to German measles which dubbed the astronaut a safety hazard. At first, being grounded from the mission seemed like an all-time low for Mattingly, sending him into a deep depression, though ultimately, it was for the best.
Mattingly Helped Save The Astronauts Aboard Apollo 13
On the Apollo 13’s third day in orbit, an oxygen tank unexpectedly exploded, rendering the command, and all three astronauts on board, in grave danger. Mattingly rapidly joined ground control in order to provide a series of complex commands to the crew, supporting the team in guiding the craft back to safety. Thanks to the quick thinking and expertise of the grounded Commander, all three astronauts aboard the vessel made it home safely.
The Mission Was Recreated In The Film Starring Tom Hanks
This can all be seen in a dramatic recreation for the Hollywood film Apollo 13, which starred Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, and Gary Sinise. The film, which was produced over 25 years after the events of the real-life mission, touts a staggering 96 percent certified fresh critic score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. The inspiring story rapidly became a box office hit, with audiences still returning to the dramatic thrill ride to this day.
Mattingly Crews The Apollo 16 Moon Mission
Despite being immortalized for his contribution to the Apollo 13 mission, Mattingly eventually did make it to outer space aboard the Apollo 16, which served as the penultimate mission of its kind. While commanding the Apollo 16 crew, Mattingly took an extensive series of photographs of the moon’s terrain and Earth from space, as well as collecting a number of soil and rock samples from the Descartes crater.
When the Apollo program eventually ended, Commander Mattingly took a job heading NASA’s astronaut support office, responsible for flying participants to and from the International Space Station.
Mattingly’s Service With NASA Lasted Decades And Left A Significant Impact On Space Exploration
Though the 87-year-old astronaut is gone, he won’t soon be forgotten. His contribution to NASA and the scientific community supported scientific research and lunar models for years to come, and his legacy will surely live on through the Apollo 13 film, which captures his endless bravery in the face of danger. Thomas K. Mattingly serves as one of the few men who can truly say that they have made history in his brief time on Earth.
