Docking port
A docking port, or docking hatch, was located on the hull of a spacecraft and allowed the crew access between their ship and another vessel or space station.

The first docking hatches on Earth ships were used in the Apollo program spacecraft. A schematic of the Apollo Lunar Module depicting the location of the docking hatch was stored in the 's library computer database. This database was accessed by the Talosians in 2254. ()

Decades later, ships of the DY-100 class were built with at least one docking hatch. This hatch was located on the ship's starboard side. ()

The docking ports on board an  starship were located on E deck. ()

In August of 2151,  used an auxiliary hatch on the port side of the  as docking port as the main hatch was damaged. ()

In January 2152, a symbiotic lifeform used a docking port to gain access to the Starfleet vessel . ()

The refit  Enterprises featured a number of docking ports. One was on the portside of the saucer section, and connected the ship to the drydock during the refit.

In the 2270s, travel pod 05, carrying Admiral James T. Kirk and Commander Montgomery Scott, docked with the ship at a port on the engineering hull which connected directly to the cargo bay, following a long exterior tour of the vessel. Later, the Vulcan shuttle  docked at a port directly aft of the bridge to deliver Spock to the Enterprise. ()

There were also docking ports which led to the torpedo bay. In 2285, a travel pod connected here to offload Admiral Kirk's inspection crew before the Enterprise departed on a training cruise. ()

On  starships like the , docking ports were located on Deck 25 on either side of the forward torpedo launcher in the stardrive section. The Enterprise docked at Starbase 74 () and Starbase 133 () via these ports. The Enterprise also docked at Deep Space 9 in this manner (; ), as did the . ()  Another Galaxy class starship, the , had a docking port on the extreme port tip of its saucer section and connected to Deep Space 9 at this location. ()

The   had three docking ports on the rim of its primary hull, which it used to dock at DS9 (), a Varro generational ship (), and a Markonian outpost. () At least one of these ports connected directly to Cargo Bay 2 and could be used to decompress the bay. In 2374, Commander Chakotay decompressed the cargo bay to eliminate the Borg drones occupying the bay during Voyagers uneasy truce with the Borg following the Species 8472 invasion. ()

The   could dock with Deep Space 9 through a port on the nose of the ship, above the main deflector dish. ()

Specialized docking ports can also be used to connect auxiliary craft directly to a starship, such as the captain's yacht on Galaxy and  ships (), the aeroshuttle on the Intrepid class, and the waverider shuttlecraft on the , all located on the ventral side of their respective saucer sections.

Notable appearances 

In 2369 docking port six of Deep Space 9 was used to dock the Klaestron starship on after it was pulled with a tractor beam back to the station. ()

The same year Commander Sisko ordered the turbolift, carrying himself and Major Kira, to docking port six to welcome the Paqu delegation aboard. ()

Commander Sisko told Doctor Julian Bashir and the ambassadors Taxco, Vadosia, and Lojal that the best place on the station to view the alien probe would be the docking ring near docking port seven. ()

Constable Odo told Commander Sisko and Chief O'Brien to take crossover bridge one which will led them into the cargo bay and docking port four. ()

The same year the Kobheerian freighter Rak-Miunis, which transported Aamin Marritza, requested docking at Deep Space 9 and was guided to docking port six. ()

Appendices

See also 
 Airlock
 Docking bay
 Docking latch

Background information 
The docking port to the aft of the bridge on the Enterprise was identified as the command airlock in the . It is probable, based on signage seen in the entry area, that this was airlock 3.

External link 
 
Spacecraft components