[VadeRetro]

Or an umbrella that would deflect falling stuff, then slough off. (Did I spell that right? I hate that word.)

Yer asken me about speling?

Shields within shields would be great except for the weight penalty. My dream would be a separate "emergency module" within the shuttle which has good enough armor to survive re-entry itself. That and you routinely do a pre-reentry EVA to check for tile damage on the outer shuttle. If you find enough to scare you, you re-enter in your pristine "little shuttle."

The only problem is that the whole assembly carrying all of this is probably too big to lift off.

[js1138]

My dream would be a separate "emergency module" within the shuttle which has good enough armor to survive re-entry itself. That and you routinely do a pre-reentry EVA to check for tile damage on the outer shuttle. If you find enough to scare you, you re-enter in your pristine "little shuttle."

Wouldn't have to be included in the shuttle package. Just a Gemini-style re-entry capsule that could be launched on a moment's notice by a solid-fuel booster. Ditto for a robo-cam.

These would be bare-bones items, not luxury suites.