This is an idea for a standard docking system for LEGO® spacecraft. It is done by forming a docking ring with Technic® pegs spaced in a square configuration. The spacing of these pegs is designed so that whether mounted on the side of a wall of a ship (bricks), or in the floor or ceiling (plates), they can still be used to dock with another craft in any of 4 orientations.
To deal with the issue of “gender” in docking rings, I chose to have some of them be “male” and some be “female”. The logic for this was that on a surface-to-orbit craft any pegs would burn off during re-entry. Also, it seems to me that shuttles will dock with space stations or large ships rather than with each other, and the space stations and large ships would probably not be able to get close enough to each other to dock without being damaged. So it is not very important to have the ability for two shuttles or two large craft to dock. As a result of these factors I have decided to use “male” docking rings on the large craft and “female” on the shuttles. Note that in emergencies, a supply of Technic pegs could be carried on board that would allow docking between two shuttles.
In space there is no “up” or “down”, so there’s no reason the ships should have to have a parallel orientation when docked. Also, with wings, solar panels, and other types of protuberances, it may not be possible to dock in a parallel orientation. So I’ve used the “6:5 rule” (6 studs wide is equal to 5 bricks tall) to devise the following system…
I also have included some pictures of the backs of the wall and roof pieces, to show the doors more clearly.
Notes:
- Because of the “5:6 rule”, these doors can be docked at any of 4 different angles, and the roof and wall pieces can also connect to eatch other…
- These are not parts of existing models, but are standalone proof-of-concept hatches. In an actual model the color coordination would be better, and the door design would be more elegant.
- Note how in all cases the door opens inward. This way, the doors are “fail-safe”: air pressure inside the space craft will keep it closed until it is time to dock with another craft. An alternative design using sliding doors could be easily made.
- In these pictures, I have pressed the docking rings only partly together, so you can see how the pegs fit the holes. Rest assured that an “airtight” fit is easily managed.
- In fact, the only kind of “airtight” docking ring I was unable to devise was a “female” version of the “roof” ring. This is because there isn’t (in my collection, anyway) any smooth (tile) piece with a hole where a peg can be inserted. If a roof-mounted “female” docking ring is needed, it would have to be done by using Technic “beam” bricks mounted on their sides, like the “wall” docking ring.
- One drawback I found was that the Technic pegs tend to grip rather firmly, and as a result, the “roof” piece especially can come apart, rather than just disengage the Technic pegs, when you “undock”.
Migrated from my old blosxom blog, formerly at bill.wards.net/blosxom on 2026-04-12
