To get back to land, they need to stop and turn around. Having the barge means they don't have to go back so far, so they can use more fuel for lifting the payload. It might also give them a better choice in launch locations, since they're not bringing the booster back to land, they don't have to worry about hitting anything else on the way down.
__________________
"Never ask a World War II history buff for a 'final solution' to your problem!"
|