WR-542 Shooting Star

The WR-542 Shooting Star light liason frigate was a 35-metre courier built by Sienar Fleet Systems before the Galactic CIvil War.

The WR-542 was a notably fast ship in any context, with a Class 1/2 hyperdrive, but it was particularly notable for its superb performance in planetary atmospheres. With its streamlined hull, it was capable of airspeeds of up to 1200 kph, and it was named the "Shooting Star" because of the spectacular, meteor-like trail it left across the sky during re-entry manoeuvres.

Ships of this class a crew of one, plus a sentient droid brain with a vocaliser. There was space for three passengers and a cargo capacity of 100 metric tons or 50 cubic metres. Stock ships were armed with two turret-mounted laser cannon.

By the time of the Battle of Endor, the WR-542 had been superceded in Imperial service by newer ships, but ships of this class remained popular with the Rebel Alliance, who used them as couriers and scouts - and, quite simply, with anyone who needed a fast ship.