THOMAS K. MATTINGLY II (REAR ADMIRAL, USN, RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (DECEASED)

PERSONAL DATA: Born in Chicago, Illinois, March 17, 1936. Died on October 

31, 2023. He is survived by his son, Thomas III. 

EDUCATION: Attended Florida elementary and secondary schools and is a graduate 

of Miami Edison High School, Miami, Florida; received a bachelor of science degree 

in Aeronautical Engineering from Auburn University in 1958.

ORGANIZATIONS: Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics; Fellow, American Astronautical Society; and Member, Society of 

Experimental Test Pilots, and the U.S. Naval Institute.

SPECIAL HONORS: Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal (1982); 

NASA Distinguished Service Medals (2); JSC Certificate of Commendation (1970); 

JSC Group Achievement Award (1972); Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Navy 

Astronaut Wings; SETP Ivan C. Kincheloe Award (1972); Delta Tau Delta Achievement Award (1972); Auburn Alumni 

Engineers Council Outstanding Achievement Award (1972); AAS Flight Achievement Award for 1972; AIAA Haley 

Astronautics Award for 1973; Federation Aeronautique Internationale’s V. M. Komarov Diploma in 1973. 

EXPERIENCE: Prior to reporting for duty at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, he was a student at the Air Force 

Aerospace Research Pilot School.

Mattingly began his Naval career as an Ensign in 1958 and received his wings in 1960. He was then assigned to VA-35 and 

flew A1H aircraft aboard the USS SARATOGA from 1960 to 1963. In July 1963, he served in VAH-11 deployed aboard the 

USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT where he flew the A3B aircraft for two years.

NASA EXPERIENCE: 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 (EMU). 

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. 

He has logged 7,200 hours of flight time -- 5,000 hours in jet aircraft.

From January 1973 to March 1978, Mattingly worked as head of astronaut office support to the STS (Shuttle Transportation 

System) program. He was next assigned as technical assistant for flight test to the Manager of the Orbital Flight Test 

Program. From December 1979 to April 1981, he headed the astronaut office ascent/entry group. He subsequently served as 

backup commander for STS-2 and STS-3, Columbia’s second and third orbital test flights. From June 1983 through May 

1984, Mattingly served as Head of the Astronaut Office DOD Support Group.

A veteran of three space flights, Mattingly has logged 504 hours in space, including 1 hour and 13 minutes of EVA 

(extravehicular activity) during his Apollo 16 flight. He was the command module pilot on Apollo 16 (April 16-27, 1972), 

was the spacecraft commander on STS-4 (June 26 to July 4, 1982) and STS 51-C (January 24-27, 1985).

Captain Mattingly resigned from NASA in 1985. 

- more -

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: Apollo 16 (April 16-27, 1972) was the fifth manned lunar landing mission. The crew 

included John W. Young (spacecraft commander), Ken Mattingly (command module pilot), and Charles M. Duke, Jr. 

(lunar module pilot). The mission assigned to Apollo 16 was to collect samples from the lunar highlands at a location near 

the crater Descartes. While in lunar orbit the scientific instruments aboard the command and service module "Casper" 

extended the photographic and geochemical mapping of a belt around the lunar equator. Twenty-six separate scientific 

experiments were conducted both in lunar orbit and during cislunar coast. Major emphasis was placed on using man as an 

orbital observer capitalizing on the human eye’s unique capabilities and man’s inherent curiosity. Although the mission of 

Apollo 16 was terminated one day early, due to concern over several spacecraft malfunctions, all major objectives were 

accomplished through the ceaseless efforts of the mission support team and were made possible by the most rigorous 

preflight planning yet associated with an Apollo mission.

STS-4, the fourth and final orbital test flight of the Shuttle Columbia, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on June 

27,1982. Mattingly was the spacecraft commander and Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr., was the pilot. This 7-day mission was 

designed to: further verify ascent and entry phases of shuttle missions; perform continued studies of the effects of long-term 

thermal extremes on the Orbiter subsystems; and conduct a survey of Orbiter-induced contamination on the Orbiter payload 

bay. Additionally, the crew operated several scientific experiments located in the Orbiter’s cabin and in the payload bay. 

These experiments included the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System experiment designed to investigate the separation 

of biological materials in a fluid according to their surface electrical charge. This experiment was a pathfinder for the first

commercial venture to capitalize on the unique characteristics of space. The crew is also credited with effecting an in-flight 

repair which enabled them to activate the first operational "Getaway Special" (composed of nine experiments that ranged 

from algae and duckweed growth in space to fruit fly and brine shrimp genetic studies). STS-4 completed 112 orbits of the 

Earth before landing on a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on July 4, 1982. 

STS-51C Discovery, the first Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida 

on January 24, 1985. The crew included Ken Mattingly (spacecraft commander), Loren Shriver (pilot), Jim Buchli and 

Ellison Onizuka (mission specialists), and Gary Payton (DOD payload specialist). STS-51C performed its DOD mission 

which included deployment of a modified Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) vehicle from the Space Shuttle Discovery. Landing 

occurred on January 27, 1985. 

JANUARY 1987

This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought from the above named individual.