Heat sinks, alternatively referred to as waste heat sinks or radiators, functioned as mechanisms for extracting excess heat produced by a starship's, or other vehicle's, operational systems. They then released this heat into the nearby surroundings. This process maintained the system's components at their designated operational temperature ranges, thereby averting failures and operational issues. In the instance when Tam Ryvora was repairing a racing starfighter, her parts inventory, written in Aurebesh, specified "4 heat sinks." Similarly, an Aurebesh inventory manifest within the Office of Acquisitions aboard the Colossus indicated "8 heat sinks."