Academy of Carida The Academy of Carida was a private , and later state - supported , comprehensive military institution . It formed a triumvirate of elite military institutions along with the academies of Anaxes and Corulag . The institution was known by a variety of names such as Caridan Military Academy , Carida Academy , and Academy at Carida . It was located on the Spinara Plateau . It was considered a fairly prestigious Imperial military academy , and the planet ' s high gravity was used to train tougher , more resilient stormtroopers . History . The Academy of Carida existed around 5000 BBY , at which time its logo was inscribed in the Mascot Moon . Senatorial mandate around 220 BBY established it as a centralized training ground for planetary defense forces that maintained order across the Republic , as well as Judicial ground forces . The Academy was also responsible for training the Republic Army during the penultimate military conflicts of the Galactic Republic . Known then as the Republic Defense Academy , its influence waned in tandem with the Republic ' s faltering military capability and shift towards increased reliance on the Jedi Order . When the Separatist Crisis threatened to divide the Republic , the Academy ' s administrators and its Caridan governors supported the Militarist senators attempting to pass the Military Creation Act , hoping to regain the prestige it once held . The role of the Academy during the Clone Wars was training non - clone warriors to supplement the Kaminoan - trained clone troopers and elite clone trooper commander s . As Palpatine ' s Galactic Empire assumed the functions of the fallen Republic , a large scale military build - up brought the Academy under state control . Renamed the Imperial Military Academy , the Academy became best known as the central training facility for the Emperor ' s fearsome stormtroopers of the Stormtrooper Corps , a continuation of its earlier mission during the Clone Wars . As the Imperial war machine accelerated , the compound was expanded to include several other training programs for various branches of the Imperial Service , including the development of a training center for clones that , similar to the Republic ' s ARC troopers , were bred for greater independence and leadership . Such training included live training supplementing lessons learned through flash instruction . The Academy eventually opened the stormtrooper ranks to non - clones , with a two - year stormtrooper training program well known for its brutality , and thus drawing only the best and bravest army cadets . The reputation of Carida became so strong that it became synonymous with military education and was known by many as simply " the Imperial Academy " , despite the existence of several major and hundreds of minor state - operated Imperial academies . By the peak of the Empire , it was uncommon for any officer or specialized soldier to have not spent at least one semester at the Academy . Although Carida was first and foremost the training center for those aspiring to become members of the Stormtrooper Corps , various officers in both the Army and Navy branches of the Imperial Military nonetheless accepted recruits from Carida that didn ' t make it into the Stormtrooper Corps . During the Imperial years , the Carida Academy ' s staff and students numbered over 150 , 000 total . A full four - year course at the Academy would give the Empire an average of 500 , 000 credits per student . Before the Battle of Endor , the Academy was target of an attack coordinated by Rebel pilots . Only four of them survived the assault , including Telsij . The Academy was destroyed in 11 ABY when Kyp Durron launched the Sun Crusher ' s resonance torpedo es into the heart of the Carida system ' s primary star . The resulting shockwave incinerated all planetary life , with the follow up cracking the planetary shell . Within the two - hour warning period Durron provided , it is believed that many of the Imperials escaped with much of their equipment . Organization . The central focus of the Academy was its training of stormtroopers . While other branches and sister facilities were tied into the stormtrooper training program , every trainee that passed through the gates of the Academy participated in the basic training and field exercises of the Stormtrooper Corps before moving on to their more specialized training . Due to the very high standards of the Stormtrooper Corps , the turnout rate for recruit training in Carida is fairly low , due to most applicants failing to meet the posted physical requirements , while others wash out during training . In large part because of the exceedingly merciless standards , those who do pass is considered a point of honor among the ranks of the Corps . Nonetheless , even those who either fail to meet the physical requirements or wash out are considered viable recruits to both the Imperial Army and Navy . Live fire field exercises provided practical experience as well as the means to test new weapons in combat situations . In fact , every major military equipment firm built facilities on Carida to allow for easier testing and development . Facilities included : In addition , aside from experimental weapons testing , prospective stormtrooper officer candidates undergo lessons in : Campus . Centered at Spinara Plateau and surrounded by dagger - like mountains , the Academy was composed of several impressive buildings that acted as living and dining space , training areas , as well as administrative and Caridan government offices . At the center of the campus was a large citadel with architecture designed to echo the ancient buildings of Coruscant and Raithal , despite its relative youth . Enormous turrets and minarets dotted the upper walls of the citadel ; the southernmost turret housed the Academy ' s private HoloNet transceiver . The campus itself contained facilities for both basic and advanced training . Numerous outbuildings , drill fields , rifle ranges , and storage and training facilities surrounded the main quadrangles . Decommissioned Imperial walkers were placed along major promenades as imposing reminders of the Emperor ' s might . Decorations included an immense statue of Palpatine . The Academy Dean resided in the Dean ' s Residence . Behind the scenes . Prior to the development of the Academy of Carida in the " " , the Raithal Academy was established as the most prestigious branch of the Imperial Academy .