Any launch would take months to prepare at best, and that's with a seriously abbreviated timetable with everybody hustling like crazy.
The only reason Atlantis was even possibly maybe sort of an option is because it was already nearly ready to go, close the end of its preparation for launching its own mission not too much later.
The only reason Atlantis was even possibly maybe sort of an option is because it was already nearly ready to go, close the end of its preparation for launching its own mission not too much later.