Death Star prototype

Death Star prototype The Death Star prototype was the result of the earliest attempt at building the first Death Star. It was constructed in the Empire's secret Maw Installation. The Death Star prototype was only constructed to see if the planet destroying superlaser could be built. As soon as the laser worked, the prototype was left anchored above the Maw Installation since it had completed its mission. It was never completed.

Tol Sivron used it to attack the New Republic. Later, Kyp Durron destroyed the Death Star prototype by luring it into one of the Maw's black holes. The Death Star prototype was sucked in by its incredible mass.

Description


The Death Star prototype was just a durasteel frame with the reactor core, the superlaser, engines and a control room. It was constructed by Bevel Lemelisk and his engineers at the Maw Installation. The Death Star prototype measured 120 kilometers in diameter. Its superlaser was only powerful enough to destroy a planet's core rendering it uninhabitable. The superlaser also took a large amount of power and drained the vehicle's batteries. It also took hours to recharge the batteries and superlaser. The targeting system on the Death Star prototype was also never calibrated, greatly hurting its accuracy. The prototype had no interior except a control room where all the computers including the superlaser were slave linked. This meant the station could be run by a small crew. The interiors of the later Death Stars were taken up by the hyperdrive engines and other components.

Behind the scenes
Originally, the Death Star prototype was considered to be just that, a project began prior to work beginning on the Death Star I. However, following the appearance of Death Star plans in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and the Death Star I in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (confirmed by George Lucas himself), The New Essential Chronology retconned the "prototype" into being built alongside the main Death Star after concerns were raised.

Appearances

 * Jedi Search
 * Champions of the Force