Jet Assisted Eve Ascent

[Red Dwarf]

I've been planning an Eve mission for a little while, and I think I have a method of returning from the surface that might work.

My thinking is to use a first stage on the lander similar to the one Scott Manley made in his Reusable Space Program series. I know jet engines work on Eve, so the added fuel efficiency might help get the ship past the thickest part of the atmosphere. There, conventional rockets could take over. Also, this plan might be aided by the new Rapier engines, but I don't know their thrust off hand.

Has anyone tried doing this?

[Red Iron Crown]

Jets don't work on Eve, only on Kerbin and Laythe.

[Jimbimbibble]

Jet engines actually don't work on Eve because it doesn't have an oxygen atmosphere. However, the Kethane mod has a Kethane-fueled jet engine that works on Eve.

[Red Dwarf]

Huh, I thought they did. Oh well. I do have kethane installed, so the plan is still on the table. If I used those engines, do you think it'd work out?

[Tex_NL]

The kethane turbine works in any atmosphere!

It is very efficient at low speed but it looses efficiency and power very rapidly as soon as you go fast.

[Jimbimbibble]

But that's alright because most of the ascent can and probably will be at low speed because of the thick atmosphere.