What about using some form of a mag-lev sled to get the space craft moving quickly in a horizontal direction, then slowly ramp it upward and ingite the engines after it's already got a lot of momentum? Wouldn't that be a lot more efficient than using brute force thrust to shove the craft skyward from a dead stop?
I'm obviously no expert, but it seems like the current way is about the least efficient way to launch any space craft. I welcome all responses, even if I'm totally wrong and get schooled for it.
It’s a good idea for smaller rockets. Would be an enormous project to scale it up for heavy-lifters.
Launching small rockets to orbit from a large jet is also a good idea.
If you built a magnetic launcher on the moon you could fling payload packages back to earth...if anything of value was found there.
(The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress)