Attack on the first Death Star
In the year 0 BBY, the Alliance to Restore the Republic initiated a strike with the goal of either obliterating or severely crippling the original Death Star. This offensive occurred as the battle station approached full operational capacity while positioned in orbit around the planet of Despayre.
The outcome for the Rebels was an utter failure. The Alliance suffered the loss of at least 500 of their top-tier starfighter craft, along with a substantial carrier class capital starship. Conversely, for the Galactic Empire, this event marked the initial live-fire exercise of the Death Star's superlaser, bolstering the confidence of the crew in the battle station's capabilities.
Background
Leading up to the battle, a series of sabotage events plagued the Death Star's construction, culminating in the destruction of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer named Undauntable. This led Grand Moff Tarkin to suspect the presence of Rebel operatives or sympathizers embedded within the project. Privately, he had anticipated a military incursion of some kind.
The battle
The Rebel's modified Lucrehulk-class starfighter carrier, the Fortressa, unexpectedly emerged from hyperspace very close to the Death Star, achieving a surprise attack. Re-entering realspace at a distance of 2,200 kilometers from the battle station within Sector Seven of its defensive grid, the Rebel vessel successfully bypassed the Sector Fleet, which was under the command of Admiral Motti and tasked with safeguarding the Death Star.
The Fortressa immediately began launching two waves of T-65 X-wings, each consisting of 250 starfighters. Approximately 1,120 TIE fighters from various squadrons, including Alpha Squadron, which were engaged in training exercises near the Death Star's surface, rapidly mobilized to intercept. They were under the leadership of Flight Commander Drolan and included noteworthy pilots like Lieutenant Commander Villian Dance.
The Death Star is fired
The Imperial fighters maintained a defensive perimeter 1,000 km away from the station as the Rebel fighters advanced within firing range. From the command center, Moff Tarkin gave the order to target the Fortressa with the Death Star's superlaser. Within just 28 seconds from the initial warning to the final confirmation, the Rebel starship was completely vaporized at a distance of 2,209 km, utilizing only four percent of the station's total destructive capacity.
The Imperial starfighters then engaged the first wave of Rebel fighters, who were disoriented but continued their mission towards the Death Star. These Rebel fighters flew directly towards their objective without evasive maneuvers and were largely destroyed, with Imperial forces suffering relatively minimal losses. The second wave of 250 Rebel fighters was intercepted and destroyed by TIE squadrons launched from the Star Destroyers, with none reaching the Death Star's fighter screen.
During the battle, Admiral Daala, who was en route to the Death Star when the Fortressa arrived, sustained critical injuries when her ship was attacked by a squadron of X-wings, resulting in damage to the bridge.