With more testing, the first prototypes were made launch ready in 2020, but with the global pandemic putting a major strain on worldwide supply shortages for rocket fuel, the program was shelved and the first few prototypes were put in storage as the rocket engines continued to undergo tweaking to ensure they had less parts to make them simpler to repair if needed. In October of 2021, the supply shortage was waning and the Empire began extensive static fire testing of the engines at its test facility in preparation for transportation and install.
These tests continued until the 15th of June, 2022, when the first suborbital test flight of 1st Stage Booster Delta-1 cemented the Empires start of using it's fully reusable launch capabilities. Shortly after the full stack flight test of the combined 1st and 2nd Stages of the Low Orbit Insertion Rocket System, the system became fully operational for use.
