re: The previous accident
Carrying up a couple of patching "sleeves" to cover damaged or punctured leading-edges on the shuttle makes sense.
I assume those "sleeves" would be of ablative materials.
Of course NASA might complain that those "sleeves", losing
ablative material on the way down through the atmosphere,
would compromise the aerodynamics of the shuttle.
I say: Who cares!!!
If it makes for a rough-ride down through the atmosphere for the shuttle, at least the crew will return alive, even if they have to bail out
12,000ft above Florida.
Jacob