I like to think that if they knew their wing was punctured and had decided to stay in orbit, that someone down here could have figured out a way to rescue them. I remember the astonishing creativity involved in saving the men in Apollo 13.

I don't have the detailed knowledge of Shuttle systems required to chew this out, but no doubt some people do.

Issues of concern:

Life support aboard the Shuttle. This is probably the most critical. I don't know how much margin a Spacehab flight has.

Maintaining a stable orbit. Probably not a big issue if one assumes you are willing to use up OMS propellant that would normally be used for reentry.

I have heard the Atlantis could have been launched within a week or less. Issues would be more political than technical. If there were working prototype rescue balls laying around somewhere, we might have had something to work with. Or extra space suits. They wouldn't have to fit exactly just to drag someone to the other ship. Makeshift hammocks for extra passengers.

If they could have taken some prototype patching kit up too--I know they were working on one--the orbiter might even have been saved. Patch it, and let it come back empty. And yes, a Shuttle can reenter and land just fine empty. Hell, the Russians did it with theirs.

I don't have all the details, but I would bet that if they knew, somebody would have thought of something.