We hhas more than one shuttle, send the other one up with a repair kit.
Having worked on the STS for 36+ years (1975-2011), that would have been nice. Unfortunately the processing time involved to ready another orbiter in time was impossible. Even if the damage had been confirmed there would not have been time regardless of how many hours were worked. That was a real crappy day to say the least. My wife and I were watching NASA select awaiting Columbia’s return. When the twin sonic booms did not happen I told her it was going to be a bad day because they didn’t land late and they didn’t land somewhere else. Watching the controllers at JSC during the last few minutes was gut wrenching.