[PBRSTREETGANG]

My original proposal was predicated on the problem being dealt with within the 48 hours of Columbia's launch.

Well, 48 hours would at least give you time to bake an apple pie to send with the crew of Atlantis. Then at least we'd have "pie in the sky"...

along with nine dead astronauts and two lost shuttles.

[KantianBurke]

The NASA tech people remarked that they became aware of the problem within 48 hrs after Columbia's launch. So -

Day 4 - Atlantis begins to be prepped for an emergency launch

Day 11 Atlantis is sent up

Day 12 Atlantis docks near Columbia and initiates the plan

And this is hard to spell out for you why exactly?