Docking bay
A docking bay was an area where starships could offload or receive personnel or cargo.

Docking bays came in various sizes depending where they were located but all had a few commonalities. All docking bays were located at the outer edge of a space station or starbase where doors protected them from space. The docking bay could be entered via an airlock.

A docking bay could contain anything from a shuttlecraft to multiple Galaxy- or  starships. An example of a docking bay was that of the Federation starbase Earth Spacedock. Spacedock, along with Starbase 74, had one of the largest docking bays in the Federation. (; )

When the  received Doctor Katherine Pulaski aboard the shuttlecraft D'Alison from the , the D'Alison was received in Enterprise Docking Bay 3. ()

Deep Space 9 

Not all docking bays were located within a structure. Deep Space 9 had a total of twelve docking bays of which six were external, called docking pylons. They were used to facilitate large ships which did not fit into the internal docking bays. ()

When the station was still called Terok Nor in 2366, Dukat's personal shuttle was docked in Docking Bay 3. ()                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

In 2369 the Klingon scout ship docked at Docking Bay 11 prior to its departure from Deep Space 9. ()

Later that year Commander Benjamin Sisko changed his plan and directed the freighter Norkova to Docking Bay 12 instead of Docking Bay 8. ()

The Wadi ship docked at Docking Bay 4 when it arrived at Deep Space 9 to make first contact with Starfleet. ()

The Ferengi transport Sepulo docked at Docking Bay 5 the same year to attend a Ferengi trade conference hosted by Grand Nagus Zek. ()

A Yelikan transport was docked at Docking Bay 5 in 2370. ()

After Major Kira Nerys was transferred off of DS9, later that year, her departing vessel was docked at Docking Bay 
6. A short time later, Sisko departed aboard a vessel docked at Docking Bay 1. ()

The cargo ship Ekina was tractored into Docking Bay 5. ()

Vedek Bareil Antos' ship arrived at Docking Bay 12 during a later visit. ()

Later that year, when Benjamin Sisko discovered Gul Dukat in his quarters, rather than his son Jake, Sisko called Ops to inquire the whereabouts of his son. His call was later returned by Major Kira, explaining that "[Jake]s with Nog watching the women coming off the Bajoran transport at Docking Bay 1." ()

A short time later, Legate Parn's ship put in at Docking Bay 5, during his brief visit to the station. ()

The Romulan transport that visited the station in 2371 was rerouted to Docking Bay 12, so as to avoid conflict with the Klingon freighter that was docked at the station for repairs. ()

At one point in 2373, the  was moored at Docking Bay 3. ()

Later that year, following the 's successful rescue mission of the surviving crew of the , the Rotarran was cleared to dock at Bay 4. General Martok then requested that the station's personnel "Arrange to have fifteen barrels of bloodwine waiting for us in the airlock so we can celebrate the first victory of the Rotarran over the Jem'Hadar!" ()

See also 
Cargo bay
Docking pylon
Landing pad
Launch bay
Shuttlebay
Spacedock

External link
 

Spacecraft sections
Station sections

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