that the crew has. Consider the sliding pole "escape system" on the Shuttle. It provides a narrow window of opportunity starting at about 50,000 feet. When you get much above 35,000 to 40,000 feet, you need either a pressurized cabin or a pressure suit to keep from passing out. If they decide to attempt an escape, it could begin with opening the hatch above that altitude. The suit helps them stay functional and provides some measure of protection against the wind blast.

In all probability, nothing short of an escape pod or a MOOSE-like system could've saved the Columbia crew. Even if they determined the extent of the damage on the second day of the mission (when they reviewed the launch tapes), I'm not overly optimistic that a rescue mission could've been launched in time. No doubt they would've tried but rushing another launch when the cause of the first accident wasn't known sounds like a good way to endanger another crew and Shuttle.