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Memory Alpha
File:Earthspacedock1.jpg

Earth Spacedock docking bay

thumb Starbase 375 docking bay
Galaxy class docked at DS9

External DS9 docking pylon

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 were a door protected it from space. Via an airlock the docking bay could be entered.

A docking bay could contain about everything from a shuttlecraft to multiple Galaxy or Excelsior class 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. ("Star Trek III: The Search for Spock", TNG:"11001001")

Not all docking bays were located within a structure. Deep Space 9 had a total of twelve docking bays from which six were external, called docking pylons. They were used to facilitate large ships which did not fit into the internal docking bays. (DS9: "Visionary")

See also

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