Giffords’s Husband May Step Down from Shuttle Mission

NASA is expected to announce who will be the mission’s commander at a news conference today.

Mark Kelly’s role in a shuttle mission scheduled to launch April 19 has been in doubt since his wife was shot in Tucson January 8 during the rampage that left six people dead and captured the attention of the nation. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords remains in a Houston hospital where she is recovering from a bullet that passed through her brain, and Kelly has hinted that he may not wish to leave her. He was slated to command the shuttle Endeavour on what is planned to be its final flight, but after the shooting NASA announced that Rick Sturckow would be the backup commander for the mission. NASA is expected to announce who will helm the flight Friday afternoon.