It's been pointed out that even if people had known about the damaged tiles, nothing could've been done about it. The shuttle wasn't in the proper orbital plain to dock with the space station. Why is this, why was the shuttle launched into a different orbit than the station? Even if it's not going to dock at the ISS, the shutle could still be launched into the same orbit. I wonder if this will become standard practice in the future.

Another idea that I've had is about the X-33/VentureStar project. Although the technology for a SSTO cargo shuttle may not be ready at this time, could a SSTO personnel vehicle be built? It wouldn't need a payoad bay or large doors to open up, instead it would only have room for a few crew members an about 6-10 passengers. This craft would be built to serve as a rescue vehicle in case a damaged shuttle is forced to stay in orbit or to evacuate the ISS. This vehicle could be launched within a few hours after getting the go ahead for a rescue. Without the need to carry tens of thousands of pounds of cargo, it could be significantly smaller than the planned VentureStar. Such a vehicle could be named "Minuteman" or "Sentinel". Several of these craft could be based around the world to maximize the chance for a clear launch window should the need arise.

Maybe if these ideas were implemented, they could help create a safety net for our astronauts.