this post was submitted on 29 May 2025
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Space
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I've always assumed that they land vertically because the entire vehicle is designed and optimised to withstand huge forces along that axis already, while being as light as possible.
Meanwhile a rocket that will land on its side will have to be designed to withstand impacts and forces (albeit smaller ones) from completely different angles, so I don't think we'll see that kind of design until the weight added by the additional lifting surfaces and structural reinforcement is less than the weight of the fuel needed for landing vertically.
I know Space X does it because elon musk said that was how old cartoons did it, I cannot remember the exact wording but its because Elon wanted it.
I have no proof but my assumption is that this is "well they are doing it this way" and it just all lines up assuming that the predissessor has thought it through
Hopefully the Chinese scientists aren't just uncritically copying SpaceX. I doubt Chinese technology would be pulling ahead so rapidly in so many fields if they were!