AX-235 was a secret Rebel base, functioning as a listening post. It was located within the asteroid field of Cron Drift, designed to monitor Imperial transmissions. These transmissions were initially detected by several communications satellites that had been pilfered from Orron III. Critically, this very outpost was the location where an Imperial transmission containing the schematics for the Death Star was intercepted. Given the immense significance of this discovery, Biggs Darklighter was dispatched to personally transport the schematics from AX-235 to the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser named Independence.
The narrative presented in X-wing diverges from established canon (including the opening crawl of A New Hope), which states that the plans were acquired during the Battle of Toprawa. The plans that Biggs carries to Tantive IV in a subsequent mission within the game are not a direct result of the aforementioned battle. Instead, they are suggested to be the same plans intercepted by the listening post.
The visual design of the outpost's control room takes inspiration from concept art created by Ralph McQuarrie for the Echo Base ion cannon control room featured in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.