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It is my understanding that the Soyuz is bringing up supplies to the ISS wihin a day or two---UNMANNED. If so, it seems that it could have brought back three at a time (and might have EMERGENCY SPACE for more). Maybe we should have a BACKUP Shuttle (capable of reaching the ISS, e.g. the Shuttle "sold" to us as mentioned above), ready to go in an EMERGENCY (or one which could could be QUICKLY CONVERTED from a scheduled future mission).

It's not a "Soyuz" bringing supplies it's a "Progress" thats an UNMANNED cargo hauler. Not sure exactly what special equipment is needed to guide it to the ISS, but I am sure it wasn't on the Columbia.

The Columbia is (WAS) the only shuttle that couldn't make the orbit of the ISS. But my understanding is only Atlantis has the proper docking equipment.

Repairing the tiles is not as simple as cut and paste. The process in which the tiles are mounted is a multistep process and not something that can be done. If it were that simple don't you think NASA would have thought of it? Or do you think they don't give a rats ass about the crew and 2 billion in space assets??????

IN aviation as in other areas of life some events ARE NOT SALVAGABLE.

"Repairing the tiles is not as simple as cut and paste. The process in which the tiles are mounted is a multistep process and not something that can be done. If it were that simple don't you think NASA would have thought of it? Or do you think they don't give a rats ass about the crew and 2 billion in space assets??????"

I think you're missing the point. ON THE GROUND, it's a multi-step procedure. In space, on an emergency basis, ANY tile repair is going to be better than bare shuttle aluminum skin. And it could easily be cut-n-paste. Anything to improve the chances of getting home.

Michael

KOZAK WROTE: "It's not a "Soyuz" bringing supplies it's a "Progress" thats an UNMANNED cargo hauler. Not sure exactly what special equipment is needed to guide it to the ISS, but I am sure it wasn't on the Columbia."

Somewhere, I had heard/read/understood that it was an unmanned Soyuz that was bringing the supplies. Maybe it was that a Soyuz would be going up soon and bringing a crew. I haven't had a lot of sleep this past week (being in the multi-alarms/night hospital situation) so I'm not remembering the specifics.

KOZAK WROTE: "The Columbia is (WAS) the only shuttle that couldn't make the orbit of the ISS. But my understanding is only Atlantis has the proper docking equipment.

Interesting. I guess because it was so heavy. I still think they should all have EMERGENCY TETHERING CAPABILITY---whether they have "proper" docking equipment or not.

KOZAK WROTE: "Repairing the tiles is not as simple as cut and paste. The process in which the tiles are mounted is a multistep process and not something that can be done. If it were that simple don't you think NASA would have thought of it? Or do you think they don't give a rats ass about the crew and 2 billion in space assets??????"

I think they are not thinking with an Apollo 13 EMERGENCY-RECOVERY "thinking-out-of-the-box" mentality. I realize it is a multi-step process---the styrofoam has a black heat-shield coating attached.

Although the coating actually goes partially around each tile, they could PRE-APPLY the coating to SHEETS of styrofoam to enable them to be CUT TO SHAPE (without the side coating) and glued in space. It would not be AS GOOD as installing the regular tiles, but it sure beats RAW ALUMINUM in 3000 degree heat!

KOZAK WROTE: "IN aviation as in other areas of life some events ARE NOT SALVAGABLE."

Understood, but some ARE salvagable with an Apollo 13 EMERGENCY-RECOVERY "thinking-out-of-the-box" mentality. Check out #343---Wright is right!