System and computer program product for non-destructively inspecting and characterizing micro-structural features in a thermal barrier coating (TBC) on a component, wherein the micro-structural features define pores and cracks, if any, in the TBC. The micro-structural features having characteristics at least in part based on a type of process used for developing the TBC and affected by operational thermal loads to which a TBC is exposed. In one embodiment, the method allows detecting micro-structural features in a TBC, wherein the detecting of the micro-structural features is based on energy transmitted through the TBC, such as may be performed with a micro-feature detection system 20. The transmitted energy is processed to generate data representative of the micro-structural features, such as may be generated by a controller 26. The data representative of the micro-structural features is processed (e.g., by a processor 30) to determine at least one of the following: volumetric porosity information for the TBC and variation in the characteristics of the micro-structural features over a thickness of the TBC. Based on the results of the data processing, information is generated regarding at least one of the following: a present condition of the thermal barrier coating and a future likely condition of the thermal barrier coating. In another embodiment, one can estimate a level of thermal load to which the thermal barrier coating has been exposed.