Gabrielle Giffords’s husband has decided to lead the space shuttle Endeavour’s last mission, set to lift off April 19 for two weeks, NASA announced today. His wife’s condition had prompted doubts over whether Mark Kelly would undertake the flight, his fourth; she's currently in a rehab clinic in Houston, where Kelly lives. "I am looking forward to rejoining my STS-134 crew members and finishing our training for the mission," he said in a statement. "We have been preparing for more than 18 months."
Politico had earlier reported Kelly's decision, based on information from a source. The Washington Post notes that Kelly will make the official announcement at a 3pm news conference outside Houston at the Johnson Space Center.
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