So, I was browsing Atomic Rockets and came across the idea of spraying instant landing pads by injecting stuff into the lander's exhaust:

https://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/landing.php#instapad1

This is relevant to a pet ISRU idea I have for CO/LOX+regolith dust propellant, mining Deimos for regolith dust and using its momentum to gather CO2 while aeroscooping to low Mars orbit.

If you dump the dust overboard, the CO/LOX lacks "oomph", but injecting it into the exhaust gives you nice performance. Good enough to supply a deliver drone to Earth orbit as well as for the mining drone to get back to Deimos (completing the cycle).

#gizmo #Space #SpaceExploration