Thomas Ken Mattingly: ‘Hero’ astronaut who helped save Apollo 13 crew dies
An astronaut who orbited the moon and helped rescue the crew of the Apollo 13 mission has died at the age of 87.
Thomas Ken Mattingly, who was known as TK, died on Tuesday, said NASA, which said the US had “lost one of our country’s heroes”.
Mattingly was due to fly on the Apollo 13 mission but was removed days before the launch in April 1970 due to exposure to German measles.
The spaceflight suffered an oxygen tank explosion as it approached the moon – prompting the famous line “Houston, we’ve had a problem”, often misquoted as “Houston, we have a problem”.
Teams back on Earth worked frantically to get the crew back home, with Mattingly playing a key role in the rescue by helping the crew conserve power during re-entry into the atmosphere.
Mattingly (L) was replaced on the Apollo 13 mission after exposure to measles. Pic: NASA
“He stayed behind and provided key real-time decisions to successfully bring home the wounded spacecraft and the crew of Apollo 13”, a NASA statement said.
Mattingly was played by Gary Sinise in the 1995 double Oscar-winning movie Apollo 13.
Gary Sinise played Mattingly in Apollo 13. Pic: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Mattingly orbited the moon on Apollo 16 in April 1972.
He described his experience in orbit by saying: “I had this very palpable fear that if I saw too much, I couldn’t remember. It was just so impressive,” according to NASA.
(L-R) Apollo 16 astronauts Thomas Mattingly, John Young and Charles Duke. Pic: AP
Mattingly was part of NASA Astronaut Group 5 – a class of 19 astronauts chosen by the space agency in 1966 as the US sharpened its ambition to put a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s.
Before taking to space, Mattingly was a member of the support crews for Apollo 8, the first to go to the moon, and Apollo 11, the first lunar landing.
He remained with the space agency after Apollo in the Space Shuttle development programme where he commanded the STS-4 and STS-51C missions.
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NASA said: “His unparalleled skill as a pilot aided us when he took on the role of command module pilot for Apollo 16 and spacecraft commander for space shuttle missions STS-4 and STS 51-C.
“The commitment to innovation and resilience toward opposition made TK an excellent figure to embody our mission and our nation’s admiration.”
Mattingly left NASA in 1985 and received a number of awards, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
NASA added: “TK’s contributions have allowed for advancements in our learning beyond that of space.
“He viewed the universe’s vastness as an unending forum of possibilities. As a leader in exploratory missions, TK will be remembered for braving the unknown for the sake of our country’s future.”
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
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