Scout
A scout from the Rebel Alliance on the planet Hoth.
Explorers, also referred to as scouts or rangers, were those who mapped out fresh hyperspace routes and investigated uncharted planets, or sections of known planets, including those held by opposing forces. These individuals could be employed by a government, a business, or operate independently.
The majority of significant governing bodies, such as the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, and the New Republic, maintained their own scouting divisions. As far back as 4000 BBY, government-affiliated scouts were structured as the Republic Astrogation Survey Team, which was a subdivision of the Science and Culture Administration. The Imperial Survey Corps was far more strictly managed when compared to its Galactic Republic equivalent. Due to the Empire's Humanocentric leanings, the ISC's renewed focus on identifying worlds for the Empire to exploit and conquer without mercy, and attempts to enlist scouts into the Imperial Starfleet, many scouts chose to align themselves with the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Lardanis Survival Systems was a company that produced specialized gear tailored for explorers.
The New Republic established its own scout service shortly after its inception, with the aim of reviving exploration efforts in Wild Space and the Unknown Regions, as well as reversing some of the destruction caused by the ISC.
Behind the Curtain
The "Laconic Scout" was among the original set of twenty-four character templates featured in Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, initially released within the first edition rulebook.
The scout appears as a starting class within Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Furthermore, the scout is presented as a heroic class in the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. Before the New Game Enhancements implemented in 2005, scouts were a trainable profession in the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies. Despite the removal of scouts as a playable profession, they continued to be present in the game as various Non-Player Characters (NPCs).