[pfdietz]

And SpaceX showed a non-winged recoverable first stage can be a winner. (Compare to the proposed flyback first stage for the Space Shuttle.)

[abudabi123]

The snakes and critters in the U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress diverted attention and funding away from SpaceX's remake vision of propulsive capsule landing on land as if the DC-X.

[pfdietz]

I wouldn't say that. Simple engineering conservatism would suffice as an explanation.