@Jens_Rasmussen the problem with the horizonal landing is that you have to have a way to orient it that way. You already have your big engine on the end, so that's the easiest way to control decent. Everything you put on the side adds drag and complexity. Putting a rocket on the side for instance to flip it .. well you probably need at least 3, probably 4. Then you have to have piping of fuel, there is that heat issue, etc.

Traditionally you had the shuttle type design which just said "slap wings on and glide it" -- but that requires some big ass wings and a lot of hardware as well.

As crazy as it seems, getting a rocket to hover is something they already can do with their control fins, since that's essentially what they do with the falcon, just get it to hover right above ground, then cut off and the legs hold it upright.