Even before the launch of Sputnik 1, there were various types of launch vehicle designs. The launch vehicle designs described below are either canceled or never left the drawing board.

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (May 2020)

• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• Non-rocket spacelaunch
• List of orbital launch systems
• List of private spaceflight companies#Crew and cargo transport vehicles
• Spaceplane
• List of crewed lunar lander designs

• SP-4221 The Space Shuttle Decision Chapter 8 (NASA)
• Dr. Wernher Von Braun (July 1970). The Spaceplane that can put you in orbit. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
• T.A. Heppenheimer - SP-4221 The Space Shuttle Decision (NASA, 1998)

• INTRODUCTION TO FUTURE LAUNCH VEHICLE PLANS [1963-2001] by Marcus Lindroos (Updated 6/15/2001)
• Space Future - Vehicle Designs
• Category:Proposed or planned spacecraft (Wikimedia Commons)
• 10 Space Shuttles which never flew (Lockheed Starclipper, Chrysler SERV, Phase B Shuttles, Rockwell C-1057, Shuttle C, Air Launched Sortie Vehicle (ALSV), Hermes, Buran, Shuttle II, Lockheed Martin VentureStar)