This might be something unique to Earth Orbit since it makes use of the heavy and thick atmosphere to transfer kinetic energy. But one way of doing away with all of the launch vehicle might be to focus a kinetic wave front from a bowl shaped area, like the Arecibo mountain range, on to a platform or lift pallet suspended in the center of the bowl.. or just above the floor sufficient to over come dampening effect against the walls of the bowl.
Simply its like focusing many Air Bazookas on to a pallet and transferring kinetic energy into the structure at a resonant frequency of that structure and back out again accelerating the air molecules against the base and using them like impulsive rocket fuel kicking the pallet higher and higher into the sky.
The vacuum left is quickly replenished with inwardly rushing air from the sides and the whole thing would appear and operate like an aero spike engine with no moving parts.
A variant might be a microwave, or solar energy collection system that boils steam in order to expand a working fluid to drive the pallet higher.
