Re: Interesting rescue plan for a shuttle.
One of the contracts I worked on a couple of years back was for the NASA Alternate Access to Space concept, which was intended to provide alternative ways to reach the Space Station other than the Shuttle or Russian vehicles, and deliver cargo. As originally intended, it would have been placed in service this year.
NASA scrapped the idea approximately when the OSP raised its head.
I am trying to work up a Powerpoint file based on some of the presentations we did, and will try and get it somewhere it can be accessed when it's done.