The Star of Alderaan represented the fifth most prestigious honor bestowed by the Alliance High Command. This award was established to recognize the crucial support provided by the planet of Alderaan and its leaders in the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It was given by the Alliance for acts of valor performed during combat situations, ranking below the Mantooine Medallion in precedence.
The Star of Alderaan, one of the Alliance Military's decorations, held the position of fifth highest in order of precedence, and was given by the Alliance High Command from 2 BBY onward. Despite maintaining a level of prestige, it was the most frequently awarded decoration. The purpose of the Star of Alderaan was to acknowledge the significant contributions made by the planet of Alderaan and its leadership to the foundation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It was presented to members of the Alliance Military who demonstrated conspicuous acts of bravery during combat, actions that, while commendable, did not merit a higher honor such as the Corellian Cross or the Illudium Star. Receiving the Star of Alderaan was still a notable achievement, reflecting the courage and professionalism of the recipient, even though its relative commonality slightly diminished its prestige. It was considered a lower honor than the Mantooine Medallion.
The Star of Alderaan was presented both as a wearable medal and as a ribbon for wear on a uniform, showcasing a simple but visually appealing design. The medal featured a five-pointed gold star placed atop a smaller disc, which itself had a central design of a stylized star emitting eight rays of light. The disc behind the star was colored blue and had a gold stripe encircling its edge. The ribbon from which the medal hung was a broad rectangle with a dark navy-blue stripe in the center, flanked by two lighter blue stripes on the edges. A small alloy depiction of Alderaan was fixed at the center of the ribbon.
The bar ribbon, designed as a horizontal rectangle, was navy blue with light blue stripes along its edges. As with other decorations, the Star of Alderaan could be awarded multiple times to an individual, with each subsequent award indicated by a small enamel starbird pinned to the ribbon above the Alderaan emblem.
The Star of Alderaan is referenced within the current Star Wars canon in the 2016 sourcebook Lead by Example, published by Fantasy Flight Games. This award originated within the Star Wars Legends continuity, making its initial appearance in the 1993 computer game Star Wars: X-Wing, which was developed by Totally Games.