Re: Even with knowledge that something had happened . . .
. . . the launch would have continued to orbit. The ship was flying fine. The ship may have been struck, which would have heightened crew arareness for the remainder of the flight to orbit. At the ISS, and inspection would have been carried out.
However, the problem was not recognized until reentry. It was then too late.
Your initial post is a 20/20 issue, which is already known, and improvements at the KSC over shuttle procedures are happening daily -- as they have since the maiden flight of the Enterprise.
Every now and then, an old Studebaker buys it,
Dan