They discussed this WITH the crew and their whole enginerring team the very next day, and by the 24th, using all the databases they had and all the scenarios they could think of, they decided it was not a risk.
Do you think NASA knew this was going to happen and decided to keep the crew in the dark?
I cannot even believe you would insinuate that the people at NASA might let their friends die.
That is what YOU were insinuating by stating that there was nothing they could do. I am hoping that they underestimated the problem. But if they knew it was as bad as it turned out, they had an obligation to do everything they could and even whatever they couldn't to mount a rescue. There could be no excuse for not trying.