BTW, weight is also the enemy of airplanes, which is why you don't see airliners ever flying around without a full load of passengers or freight (i.e. PAYload) on them. Only governments can afford to fly them empty.
But it's a hundred, a thousand times worse with rockets.
Hello again! There are actually many, many airliner positioning flights that move around empty. It's a wonder airlines make any money when you see how inefficient they can be.
If you're watching FR24 or similar keep an eye out for callsigns ending in "P" for positioning.
But it's a hundred, a thousand times worse with rockets.