Project Celestial Power

Project Celestial Power, also known as the Special Weapons Group, was an Imperial program purported to provide sustainable energy for worlds ravaged by the Clone Wars. In reality, the project's research was being used for the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. The program was formed from the Republic Special Weapons Group and was led by Orson Krennic of the Imperial Engineering Corps.
==Description==
Project Celestial Power, also known as the Special Weapons Group, was an Imperial program purported to provide sustainable energy for worlds ravaged by the Clone Wars. In reality, the project's research was being used for the Galactic Empire's superweapon, the Death Star. The program was formed from the Republic Special Weapons Group and was led by Orson Krennic of the Imperial Engineering Corps.
==History==
Overseen by the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research and a part of the Tarkin Initiative, the program's research revolved mainly around researching kyber crystals, and in harnessing the massive amount of energy that they produced. Galen Erso was the leading scientist in this area of research. Other scientists, however, worked on varying projects such as powerful shield generators, as was the case with Reeva Demesne. The research was headquartered at a complex on the planet Coruscant.
At some point during the project's development, a sister facility was constructed on the planet Malpaz, with a team of ten scientists, including the computer engineer Dagio Belcoze and Professor Sahali, attempting to replicate the experiments being done on Coruscant. However, a devastating accident occurred there when the kyber energy output failed to be properly contained, resulting in the destruction of the entire facility, and killing tens of thousands of the planet's inhabitants. Project Celestial Power also had a research station on the planet Hypori, with a team of Krennic's engineers working on weapon design and production there.
Many of Project Celestial Power's affiliates were completely unaware of the Empire's secret plans for a superweapon, and were fully convinced that they were merely helping supply sustainable energy to developing worlds. Lyra Erso, wife of Galen, grew suspicious, however, and she and her husband fled the Empire in 17 BBY,Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide settling on the remote planet Lah'mu. The work on the Death Star's superlaser array was stalled for several years because of this, until Krennic was able to locate the Erso family and once again force Galen to assist in the construction of the Death Star. Scientists from Project Celestial Power also attempted to contain dark matter quintessence, although it was not required for the Death Star.
==Appearances==
*Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel 
* 
*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization 
*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Graphic Novel Adaptation 
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Rogue One: Rebel Dossier
*Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
*
*Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
*
*Star Wars: The Rebel Files
*
*
*Star Wars: Timelines
*Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide
*Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire
==Notes and references==
Category:Galactic Empire projects and operations
Category:Tarkin Initiative branches