You would think NASA would have added an autonomous or remote control landing capability to the shuttle during the two years they spent fixing it after Columbia.
A dinged tile or leading edge, even after an in space repair, might be too damaged to risk a manned return. But if NASA could bring the orbiter home unmanned, assuming it survives, NASA could then determine if it is worth making further repairs.
"And that will mean the end of the Shuttle program, and of US manned space missions for at least a decade."
It should not take a decade, as the Orion spacecraft's first manned flight is planned for 2014.
I think they already have the capability to land it without the pilot on board..
“You would think NASA would have added an autonomous or remote control landing capability to the shuttle during the two years they spent fixing it after Columbia.”
The shuttle has had automated landing capabilities for 25+ years. The pilots are just along for the ride, but so as to make them feel important, they allow them to land the last few minutes before touchdown.
That is not the problem: I don’t think they have enough O2 and supplies to stay on the space station until they can get another rescue shuttle launched, and particularly now, since the whole thing may run out of power in a few days if they don’t get the computers fixed to get the gyros working properly to position the solar panels to generate electricity to run the whole shebang.