Gyro-servo

A gyro-servo, also known as a gravity gyro and gyro-stabilization system, was one of the earliest technologies developed by the Verpine. Designed to compensate for the rapid maneuvers of traveling through an asteroid belt, the gyro-servo was a starship stabilization system that kept the main compartment stable while the rest of the ship rotated around it. Using this system meant that ship passengers traveled more comfortably, relatively unaware of the violent maneuvering the vessel was taking to traverse an asteroid field.

Most Verpine starships, including their lifeboats, were equipped with gyro-servos. When the Verpine developed the B-wing starfighter for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, they used gyro-servos in the design to keep the command pod gyroscopically stabilized during flight maneuvers. During combat, the servos locked the pod into a fixed position, allowing the rest of the fighter to spin around, perform evasive maneuvers, or reposition its weapons for maximum effect. With the command pod locked in one position, the pilot could concentrate on flying and targeting. The system took a heavy maintenance toll, with the gyro-servos undergoing tremendous stress during flight operations. The system required constant maintenance; failure in combat meant that the primary airfoil would lock in place, degrading the fighter's effectiveness.

Text and facts from the “Gyro-servo” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.