Perhaps NASA should try out their procedure for repairing tile damage. If the repair doesn't work as expected, the experience gained may prove useful on some future occasion.
Is the repair procedure really riskier than re-entering the atmosphere with the damage untreated? I think the final decision should be made by the crew. The crew might even abandon the repair procedure, if it goes badly, and still learn something from the attempt.
Slashdot Mirror
Perhaps NASA should try out their procedure for repairing tile damage. If the repair doesn't work as expected, the experience gained may prove useful on some future occasion.
Is the repair procedure really riskier than re-entering the atmosphere with the damage untreated? I think the final decision should be made by the crew. The crew might even abandon the repair procedure, if it goes badly, and still learn something from the attempt.