Scout

Scouts  are explorers or surveyors who charted new hyperspace routes and explored unknown planets or unknown planetary areas as well as planets or planetary areas occupied by enemy forces, either working for a government, a corporation, or as an independent.

Most major governments, including the Galactic Republic, Galactic Empire and the New Republic had their own scout services. In 4,000 BBY, government scouts were organized as the Republic Astrogation Survey Team, a part of the Science and Culture Administration. The Imperial Survey Corps was much more tightly controlled than its Galactic Republic predecessor. The Humanocentric biases of the Empire, the ISC's new emphasis on finding worlds for the Empire to ruthlessly exploit and conquer, and attempts to recruit scouts into the Imperial Starfleet led many scouts to join the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

The New Republic formed its own scout service soon after its formation, with the goal of rejuvenating exploration of Wild Space and the Unknown Regions and undoing some of the damage the ISC had done.