[Physicist]

If the mission had been modified to visit the ISS, it is possible an external examination of the wing could have been made, like a high-res photo or video image taken from the ISS.

The problem is that the Columbia almost certainly didn't bring its ISS docking module along. There would have been no way for the shuttle to dock with the ISS, no way to transfer the crew, and no way to bring the shuttle close enough for a visual inspection without risking a collision between them.

[twyn1]

On the other thread tscislaw says the shuttle was too heavy to dock with the station