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Giffords Making 'Lightning Speed' Recovery, Says Astronaut Husband

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Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (right) with her husband, NASA astronaut Mark Kelly.(Image credit: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords office)

 

Wounded congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is recovering rapidly, according to an update today (Feb. 9) from her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly.

"It is hard to believe that only one month has passed since Gabrielle was shot," Kelly wrote on Facebook. "The doctors say she isrecovering at lightning speed considering her injury but they aren't kidding when they say this is a marathon process. There are encouraging signs everyday though."

Kellyannounced only recently that he had decided to resume training for his scheduled launch on the space shuttle Endeavour April 19. Those plans had been put on hold following the shooting (NASA appointed a backup commander to train in Kelly's place), but as of two days ago, he hadresumed training full-time.

Kelly said his decision was based in part on his wife's amazing progress in recovery.

"Gabby's appetite is back and – even though it’s hospital food – she's enjoying three meals a day," he wrote.

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Kelly's upcoming shuttle mission will be the last for Endeavour, and the second-to-last for the space shuttle fleet before it is retired by NASA.

Kelly'stwin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut and is currently in space commanding the International Space Station.

Clara Moskowitz
Assistant Managing Editor

Clara Moskowitz is a science and space writer who joined the Space.com team in 2008 and served as Assistant Managing Editor from 2011 to 2013. Clara has a bachelor's degree in astronomy and physics from Wesleyan University, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She covers everything from astronomy to human spaceflight and once aced a NASTAR suborbital spaceflight training program for space missions. Clara is currently Associate Editor of Scientific American. To see her latest project is, follow Clara on Twitter.