The astronaut who missed Apollo 13 and became a shuttle commander
In short: Watch the ceremony honoring Thomas K. Mattingly, II, as NASA's Ambassador of Exploration. This video captures a tribute to a pioneer whose career spanned from the moon missions to the space shuttle era.
Thomas K. Mattingly, II, was a command module pilot for Apollo 16 and was originally designated for Apollo 13. However, he was pulled from that mission just 72 hours before launch due to German measles. He managed to lead both STS-4 and STS 51-C, making him a rare Apollo pilot to also head two shuttle flights.
The first group of pioneers from the Apollo, Gemini, and Mercury projects is honored by the Ambassador of Exploration Award. The ceremony took place at Mattingly's alma mater, Auburn University, where his moon rock—preserved in Lucite—will be displayed for the public.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Astronaut T.K. Mattingly Honored with Ambassador of Exploration Award
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/space-astronaut-t-k-mattingly-honored-with-ambassador-of-explorati.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics
