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 . ( , " remastered " ) 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 . ( , " remastered " ) The docking ports on board an starship were located on E deck . In January 2152 , a symbiotic lifeform used a docking port to gain access to the Starfleet vessel . ( ) The refit starship " Enterprise " 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 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 " Surak " 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 ships 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 USS " Odyssey " . ( ) Another " Galaxy " class starship , the USS " Venture " , 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 drone s occupying the bay during " Voyager " s 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 " Sovereign " class ships ( ) , the aeroshuttle on the " Intrepid " class , and the waverider shuttlecraft on the " Nova " class , 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 ambassador s 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 . 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 .