Thomas Ken Mattingly dies: The US 'hero' who saved Apollo 13 crew

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statement. Nelson hailed Mattingly's contribution to the Apollo mission and said, "NASA astronaut TK Mattingly was key to the success of our Apollo Program, and his shining personality will ensure he is remembered throughout history." The NASA didn't mention where or how Mattingly died. However, The New York Times reported that Mattingly died in Arlington, Virginia.

Mattingly was a former Navy pilot. He joined the NASA in 1966. "He helped with the development of the spacesuit and backpack for the Apollo moon missions," the NASA said.

He was 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 the development and testing of the Apollo spacesuit and backpack. ALSO READ: NASA Capsule Set to Deliver Rare Sample From Asteroid Bennu “Beginning his career with the US Navy, TK received his wings in 1960 and flew various aircraft across multiple assignments.

Once he joined the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School as a student, NASA chose him to be part of the astronaut class in 1966," the NASA administrator said. He added that before flying into space, Mattingly aided the Apollo Program while working as the astronaut support crew and took leadership in the development of the Apollo spacesuit and backpack. ALSO READ: Opinion | Stories she was telling: Nasa’s Katherine Johnson However, his first spaceflight only came in 1972 when he orbited the moon as pilot of the Apollo 16 command module, while two other crew members landed on the moon's surface, the Associated Press reported on Saturday.