The Death Star was the Empire's ultimate weapon, a moon-sized space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. It took over 20 years and millions of workers to construct. Key features included its planet-destroying superlaser, vast armaments, and vulnerable exhaust port. The Death Star's first target was the penal colony Despayre, which it obliterated. Later, at the Battle of Yavin, Rebel fighters exploited this exhaust port weakness to destroy the Death Star, a major victory against the Empire. Construction soon began on an even more powerful second Death Star.

1. Death Star
By Matt Henderson

2. 19 1.7
Million
Years to
build the personnel on 27,048
Death board Officers
AT-STs
Star
1,400
160
Kilometers
Crew of 342,953 7,000
Starfighters
across
2,500 167,216 Pilots
768
1
Ion Cannons Assault
Superlaser Shuttles
Tractor
Beam
2,500 3,600
Projectors Laser
Cannons
2
Planets Turbolaser
AT-ATs
destroyed Batteries 10,000
1,400 25,984 Stormtroopers

3. The DS-1 Orbital Battle Station (Death Star) was
created by the Galactic Empire after the end of the Raith Sienar created plans for a
Clone Wars Expeditionary Battle
Planetoid, which he turned over to
These plans were given to Geonosian Wilhuff Tarkin
Industries and improved on under the
watch of Count Dooku and the
Confederacy of Independent Systems Construction began in 21 BBY above the
After the end of the Clone planet Geonosis
Wars and the Declaration
of a New Order, the Empire The Empire moved the Death Star’s
took over construction construction to the penal planet Despayre
To construct the Death Star, the Empire
used prisoners and Wookiee slaves from Construction was
the planet Kashyyyk completed in 0 BBY
To test this new battle station, the first target selected
for the superlaser was Despayre
After three low power blasts, the planet Despayre ceased
to exist, along with all the prisoners on the planet

4. Don’t be so proud of this technological terror
you’ve constructed, the ability to destroy a planet
is insignificant next to the power of the Force –
Darth Vader

5. Main Exhaust Port
Superlaser
Thermal
Exhaust
Port
Main Power
Generator Hyperdrive
Hypermatter Central
Reactor Computer Core

6. "Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they've obtained. This
station is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it!" ― Motti
Command Triumvirate
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin
Admiral Conan Antonio Motti
High General Cassio Tagge
"I find your lack of faith disturbing." ― Darth Vader

7. Defenses

8. Thermal Exhaust Port
The thermal exhaust port on the Death Star allows for excess exhaust to be released from the
main reactor
This is just a secondary port, the main exhaust port is heavily guarded against attacks
Due to it’s small size, this port was given less protection; it only used ray shielding against laser
attacks
This port was only two meters across, the same
size as a womp rat from Tatooine
Can’t we board it up, or you know put some plywood
over it or something? – Darth Stewie

9. Estimated to use more than
24 nonillion watts
Superlaser
One shot at full power
Eight tributary beams focus could take hours to
into one super powerful recharge
beam

10. "You may fire when ready." ― Grand Moff Tarkin
Destruction of Alderaan
Originally a threat to Princess
Leia, the Destruction of Alderaan was
the first public display of the Death
Star
This was also the first time a full power shot
had been used
The remains of the planet left a
large region of asteroids that
became known as The Graveyard

11. "Attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like suicide." ― Han Solo
Battle of Yavin
Tarkin and Vader were able to find the
Rebellion’s hidden base on the moon
Yavin IV after planting a homing beacon
aboard the Millennium Falcon
After discovering the Death Star’s exhaust port
vulnerability, the Rebels used snubfighters to skim
along the equatorial trench and fire proton
torpedoes into the port While implementing this plan, Darth Vader
took the station’s defense into his own hands
Rebel pilot, Luke Skywalker, successfully fired two proton torpedoes into
the exposed exhaust port which destroyed the Death Star

12. Soon after the Death Star was destroyed, the Empire began construction on a new Death
Star, this even more powerful than the last