system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Using balloons to lift rocket before ignition?

I am writing a script, and I had an idea... I want to know if its completely stupid or not, and if not, why aren't we doing it. We can send some not so heavy stuff almost into space using balloons. Where air friction is virtually none existent. Would using bigger balloons to lift up spaceships really high, and start the engine from there would reduce the energy cost necessary to put object into orbit? I thought about the engine burning the hydrogen but helium is not flammable (or is it the other way around). Buy anyway. Is it a stupid idea?
gpt
The main issue with getting into space is not just getting high enough in the atmosphere, but getting up to a fast enough speed going sideways to reach orbit. For any rocket that needs to reach orbit, it will need to carry enough fuel to get it up to speed such that the balloons required to lift it would be unfeasible large.  Considering that the rockets already have to carry enough fuel to get up to speed, it's grossly easier to just increase the size of the fuel tank slightly, than to put an entire other system in place to get it up to the required altitude.