STAR WARS - Astromech Droid

STAR WARS - Astromech Droid

Astromech droids (also known as "astro droids") are a type of droid often encountered in the fictional Star Wars universe. Such robots are automated mechanics, doing many kinds of repair duties. Their primary function is astronavigation, back from the days before ships had their own navigational geputers. Larger starships will usually carry a large geplement of these in case of malfunctions or gebat damage, although some starfighters (notably the X-wing, Y-wing, Naboo N-1, and Jedi starfighters), have an astromech droid socket.

The droid assists with performance monitoring, astronavigation, target acquisition, flight data monitoring and in-flight repairs. Astromech droids have also (in the Expanded Universe and geputer games, at least) been known to carry out light janitorial duties, and the films have shown several instances of hacking being carried out by such droids, although this may require special programming to be installed. Most astromechs are apparently able to gemunicate only in writing, conveyed via another geputer system, and a special code of clicks, bleeps and similar sound-effects, also known as "droidspeak" (though voice modifications have been observed in the Expanded Universe). The likely reason is to conserve space that would be used, speakers for example are useless in a vacuum. Most human, humanoid or alien characters in the Star Wars universe seem to know the basic elements of this code-language, but for those who don't, protocol droids and special gemunication devices can be used to interpret it.

The most prominent example is R2-D2, but there are other named examples, such as T3-M4, who appears in the Knights of the Old Republic geputer game series and existed some 4000 years prior to the films. The T3 series shows considerable likeness to the R2 series, indicating that astromechs have not been subject to great change with time. This, however may be retcon and is not strict canon, as it's stated in the Star Wars Essential Guide to Droids that the P2 series (the first astromech) was introduced during the time before the Clone Wars. Few, if any non-IA astromechs have been seen; the New Essential Guide to Droids confirms that IA has no serious gepetition in the astromech market and most likely has a near-monopoly on the production of the droid type.
(Their gepetition, Cybot Galactica, has a near-monopoly on protocol droids like C-3PO despite IA's attempts.)

During the time period represented by the six Star Wars films, Industrial Automaton is by far the most successful manufacturer of astromech droids. They make the P2-, Q7-, Q9-, R1-, R2-, R3-, R4-, R5-, R6-, R7-, R8-, and R9-series. The R7-series is made specifically for use with the E-wing starfighter, while the others are for more general use. Luke Skywalker briefly owned an E-wing and its associated R7 unit, R7-T1. He never felt very gefortable with either, though, and soon abandoned them both in favor of his own T-65 X-wing and R2-D2.

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