Seems like they could have rushed the development of RCO to allow a shot at bringing the empty Columbia back, too. In parallel with all the other preparation efforts, fast-tracking something like that where an already-100%-written-off craft might get saved seems worthwhile.
In an emergency like that, you just put all your engineers and technicians to work in whatever is critical to save the crew. If you have some spare personal, you put them in whatever is very important. Don't worry, you would not have enough people to cover the important task, you must hope that they doesn't mater.
