Very interesting, thanks for finding this. I fear sintered regolith might not be thick enough, but that really requires tests in place to determine. As a non in situ solution, might it be possible to stake down some kind of high temperature thermal cloth, such as these?http://www.thermalproductsco.com/high-temperature-products.htmlLight metal stakes could be used to fix the blanket in place. At 1/2 lb per ft square (1/2 inch thick), 20x20 would weigh 200 lbs. Perhaps 1/4 inch thick could work for 100 lbs, plus 10-20 lbs of stakes.This should be easy to test, anywhere in the world...
How about sintering the surface of the pad by exploding a nuclear warhead with proximity fuse? We have the technology for that..
And it it saves fuel by not needing to be soft-landed on the surface. Use two, One groundburst and then one at altitude and you can even dig down to solid rock, build a berm around the landing site, and clear any loose debris from the surface. Looking at weight, simplicity (Well-demonstrated complex stuff anyways), reliability and speed of operation this might actually be worth a look at. (No really. Stop laughing, I'm serious. Slightly.)