You need a massive multi-stage rocket that is 90% fuel (+ reactant etc.) by mass to get a couple of tons of satellite into orbit 160km up; yet a fraction of tha

You need a massive multi-stage rocket that is 90% fuel (+ reactant etc.) by mass to get a couple of tons of satellite into orbit 160km up; yet a fraction of that fuel mass can take a plane and hundreds of passengers thousands of kilometres at a stretch, but only 1 or 2km high. In other words, going up is hard.