Thesandcrawler is a fictional transport vehicle in theStar Wars universe that is found on the desert planetTatooine. The vehicle, as it appears in its major appearances inStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is 37 metres (121 ft) long and 18 metres (59 ft) tall. Only a 27-metre (89 ft) length of its lower hull was constructed as a set for the film. Other appearances were simulated with matte paintings and a remote-controlled model.
The design of the sandcrawler was first inspired by photographs of aNASA-designed rover created to explore alien planets.[1] It was conceived as large, old, very rusty, and having treads.[1] The front of the vehicle was envisioned to have a mouth-like scoop that lowered with hydraulics to pick up things, like a garbage truck.[1] While its original design was streamlined, it was modified to be taller and more awkward-looking.[1] The final design was created on April 5, 1975.[1]
The prefabricated movie set of the sandcrawler was shipped from England and took special effects expertJohn Stears and his crew four days to move it 50 kilometres (30 miles) into theTunisian desert.[2] It was two stories tall and 27 metres (90 ft) long when it was fully assembled,[2] with the caterpillar tracks being almost twice as tall as a person, and covered in sand and mud to give them a "used" look.[3] The night before the scene with the Jawas was to be shot, asandstorm blew apart the set, and it took a day to put it back together and an additional day to shoot the scene.[2] Afterwards, it was transformed into a burned-out hulk, taking another day.[2]
The construction of the sandcrawler piqued the interest of theLibyan government, who sent inspectors across the border to make sure it was not an actual military vehicle of some kind.[4]
Most sandcrawlers are homes toJawas. They were originally constructed inCorellia for the purpose of serving as ore haulers during mining operations, and many were brought toTatooine when it was first settled as aminingcolony. When the mining industry collapsed they were abandoned and the native Jawa took them over. The number of sandcrawlers is unknown onTatooine because most Jawa clans only meet during the annual "swap meets" when Jawa clans meet to trade with each other. Jawa clans usually worship the Sandcrawler they have inhabited for generations. The Sandcrawler is powered by eight massive turbines to power the treads which pull it over the dunes of the desert. Since repairs are not done thoroughly, sandcrawlers are liable to fail at any time. Within the Sandcrawler are a maze of tunnels, living quarters and rooms which keep spare parts, machinery and captureddroids. The front of the Sandcrawler opens to form a large ramp though there are also hatches between the giant treads that provide access to and from the crawler. They are powerful enough to withstandTusken Raiders but are no match forImperial Stormtroopers.
The Sandcrawler first appeared in the 1977 filmStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, whereR2-D2 andC-3PO were transported across the desert terrain of Tatooine. They make a cameo appearance inStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in the establishing shot for thepodrace, and also appeared in theStar Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones whenAnakin Skywalker asks a Jawa leader for directions to aTusken Raider camp. One also appeared in the post credits of a documentary onThe Phantom Menace DVD. It was shown during the podrace, moving faster than and overtakingSebulba's podracer. A Sandcrawler and Jawas are also seen in the final sequence ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker whenRey arrives on Tatooine.[5] Sandcrawlers, or early predecessors, have made appearances in manyStar Wars video games, such asStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (used by the Czerka Corporation), andStar Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. A digitalpinball table based onStar Wars droids has a cabinet that moves and is shaped like a sandcrawler.[6]
The vehicle appears in theDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian, in a scene where the titular character pursues a sandcrawler carrying the scavenged parts from his ship.
A 43-centimetre (17 in), radio-controlled toy Sandcrawler was released in 1979 as part of the originalKenner Star Wars toy line; a recolored version with a more "authentic" painted surface was issued in 2004. In 2005,Lego came out with a detailed model.
Lucasfilm's Singapore base is shaped and named after the Sandcrawler.[7][8]
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