SpaceX seems to be able to stabilize fine with RCS and/or their grid fins. The rocket design must be reasonably stable--even tail-first. I don't think incoming

SpaceX seems to be able to stabilize fine with RCS and/or their grid fins. The rocket design must be reasonably stable--even tail-first. I don't think incoming velocity is much of a problem. Terminal velocity is gonna be no more than 90 m/s. The engines on that stage are more than capable of slowing it down--and fast. In fact, they're too powerful--it can't hover.