What trade-off must be accepted to maximize the payload mass delivered to a high orbit?

Answer

Accepting an ocean landing

Attempting to return the booster to land from a high-energy trajectory would require carrying significantly more fuel, which directly reduces the payload capacity allocated for the primary mission objectives.

What trade-off must be accepted to maximize the payload mass delivered to a high orbit?

#Videos

Why SpaceX Really Lands In The Ocean (Physics) - YouTube

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