Docking

Docking is the process of attaching ships or stations together temporarily.

To configure important docking related keyboard commands, see Cockpit Controls after building a ship.

Switch off Inertial Dampers after docking, and possibly even switch off thrusters, so the docked ship does not fight the carrier. Engineers also often switch Hydrogen tanks to stockpile and batteries to recharge, and similar, after docking. All of this could also be automated with Event Controllers and Timers.

Docking Use Cases

There is a variety of reasons and use cases for docking, and there are several ways how to do this, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Docking Use Cases

Use Case	Docking Method
Docking a ship to an jump ship or mothership that acts as a carrier.	Landing Gear, Magnetic Plate
Towing an enemy ship wreck to a station for repairs or salvaging.	Landing Gear, Magnetic Plate
A modular station/ship with hot-swappable utility modules that you own and control, and that should not interfere with flight in gravity.	Pair of Merge Blocks
Docking to transfer cargo (ores, ammo)	Pair of Connectors, conveyor system
Docking to recharge batteries	Pair of Connectors, no conveyor system needed
A bendy decoupleable hitch between a trailer and tractor that can convey power and (optionally) inventory	Head plus Stator of Advanced Rotor or Hinge

Docking Using Landing Gear

Main article: Landing Gear

Landing gear are the blocks in Space Engineers that can be magnetically attached to other objects. Their main use is for docking smaller ships onto bigger ships or stations. They can also latch on to hostile ships for boarding or to derelict ships for towing.

• Pros: The strength of landing gear is that it can be attached to any surface without prior preparation. It can be activated and disengaged at a moment's notice.
• Cons: The drawbacks are that the ship's flight computers will not adjust to the new center of mass. Trying to tow a large object attached to the side of a ship in gravity will make piloting it very difficult or even impossible. Landing gear also doesn't provide conveyor access nor power.

Docking Using Connectors

Main article: Connector

For successful docking, each ships requires a connector block. Align the circular openings of the blocks using their magnetic fields, and then lock the connectors through the Control Panel Screen. Connectors do not require power to dock.

• Pros: Connectors form a link between the power, conveyor and computer systems of two ships, even between small and large grid! Allied or neutral Connectors allow docked ships to access terminals of connected ships, transfer cargo through conveyor systems, and share power between the connected ships/station.

• Cons: You cannot use connectors to dock to enemy ships. You must pay close attention to configuring your Connector’s Cockpit Controls properly so that pressing P does not accidentally undock carried ships.

Docking Using Merge Blocks

Using merge blocks to dock small craft to a mothership

Main article: Merge Block

For successful docking, each ship requires a Merge block, and you must align the clamps of the blocks using their magnetic fields. Both Merge blocks must be powered to be able to merge.

• Pros: Using merge blocks has the benefit of allowing access to the terminal and piloting functions of the attached ship. Additionally, the center of mass is calculated to include both parts, so that piloting while docked is simple and natural.

• Cons: Merging is not possible between small and large grids. Another drawback is that merge blocks also have the function of permanently fusing two ships, if the full surfaces of any other blocks come into contact, so this docking method requires careful attention when designing the ships if they are intended to only attach temporarily.

Docking Using Rotors and Hinges

Main articles: Rotor and Hinge

If you grind off the heads of Rotors and Hinges, and rebuild the head on another grid, you can move them together and click a button on their Control Panel Screen to detach the head and attacha different head. While this kind of docking is unidirectional, once a rotor/stator pair is attached, terminal access is obtained, allowing for undocking from either side of the connection. Unlike connectors, rotors don't have a break force limit.

• Pros: Advanced Rotors and Hinges also possess conveyor ports for inventory access. This kind of mechanical connection is flexible to turn like a truck hitch. Rotors also allow attaching of small and large grids.
• Cons: The process of attaching through mechnical blocks is a bit fiddly and jerky.

Docking Methods Comparison

Docking Method Comparison

Method	Requirements	Power transfer?	Inventory transfer?	Control?	LargeGrid + SmallGrid?	Causes drifting in gravity?
Landing Gear	No ownership needed	no	no	no	yes	yes
Connectors	Neutral or ally	yes	yes	yes if ally	yes	yes
Merge Blocks	Ownership needed	yes	no	yes	no	no
Rotor/Hinge	Ownership needed	yes	yes (except Basic Rotor)	no, subgrid limitations	yes	yes