Should Gabrielle Giffords' husband cancel his space flight?

Astronaut Mark Kelly will command his upcoming space mission as planned, and says his injured wife would be "very comfortable" with his choice. Others question his decision

Mark Kelly may be leaving Gabrielle Giffords' side, but the astronaut says his wife would approve and may be well enough to attend the April launch.
(Image credit: Getty)

Mark Kelly, the astronaut husband of injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, has announced that he will resume training for his scheduled two-week mission in April as commander of the space shuttle Endeavour. Giffords is undergoing what is expected to be a lengthy rehabilitation after being shot in the head last month, but Kelly says his wife would be "very comfortable" with his decision, and he expects her to be at the launch. Kelly suggested that his critics "don't understand" his wife's condition and "don't know what she would want." Is Kelly right, or would he be better off staying by his wife's side? (Watch Mark Kelly prepare for launch)

She needs him now, and in the future: "I am not criticizing Kelly," says Gary Davis at Associated Content. "I just don't understand" his decision. I couldn't do the same if it was my wife. We're not privy to details about Giffords's condition, but Kelly must know that his wife could well need long-term care. What if something happens to him? Still, we are "lucky to have people like Giffords and Kelly. These are people who cannot ignore the greater tasks" that humankind has to do.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up