shuttle backup systems

[coriolis]

I'd think that they ought to bring appropriate space suits and some supplies for repairs. They should look into some sort of tile repair compound, like ceramic impregnated epoxy or something that would cure in space. They really seem to have all their eggs in one basket with little redundancy - at least for the shuttle itself. I'm sure there's redundancy built into the internal shuttle systems, but this reveals a glaring weakness in the plan. Maybe they could have an unmanned rocket on standby to carry a "lifeboat" to a stricken shuttle. I'd think that a pre-landing inspection should be mandatory. They have ways of testing paint for imperfections using electric current. How about a tile defect detector? maybe on future models the crew compartment should be detachable and serve as a capsule/escape pod with parachutes and all that. It worked for previous manned (personned) missions. I wonder if they could make escape suits. I wonder how long it would take to drop into the atmosphere with a parachute (or batman wings, hang glider, you name it)and reach the surface. Probably the big drawback there would be the orbital velocity, rather than the falling velocity. I wonder how much thrust it would take in revese to reduce the orbital velocity so that it would just start falling. I don't thnk that "terminal velocity" is anywhere near the velocity needed to maintain orbit. Don't they presenly use the air as a "brake?" I seems like there's lots of ideas that could be brainstormed.