[Mo1]

Maybe in the future we can always have the equipment needed and personel trained to do space walks on board. It seems like some sort of composite mixture to fill in cracks could be devised to use in cases where we know there is tile damage. Then they could fill in cracks much like filling in dents in furniture with wood putty. A big bin of assorted tiles (that could also be cut to fit) to used as replacements could be stored in the cargo bin.

In the future, yes maybe that is possible

But from what I have read .. And I am no expert in this area, far from it .. but what I can tell there would have been no way for this crew to have fixed those titles.

Remember this is space, it is very dangerous inside a shuttle, it is even more dangerous outside of it.

[hchutch]

NASA had a system they tried out (caulking gun), but there was a reduction in the safety margins of the tiles. Still, it might have mitigated the major problems. Colombia would have gotten down, but they'd still have had to scrap the orbiter.