Docking modules are produced in Player Obtained Bases (PoB for short) and are mounted on special equipment slots, known as carrier bays. Most ships have 1 or two of these slots, with the smallest ship able to mount these be the transports up to battleships. Some carrier ships are able to mount more than 2, up to 4 docking modules. With these modules mounted on a ship, fighters or bombers are able to dock on player ships allowing for actual carrier ships to exist.
Docking Module FAQ
What ships can dock?
Any fighter or bomber can dock on a ship that has a docking module, freighters/gunboats cannot dock.
How many ships can dock per module?
Only one ship can dock per module.
How can I dock?
First you need to be in range of the ship you want to dock to (usually 200-300 meters for the fighter) then press "Dock". A request will be sent to the carrier and he must select you and type /allowdock.
You will undock at the carrier's location. Let's say you docked on the carrier at New York and then it moved to California, you will undock at the carrier which is in California. However, if the carrier logs out and you try to undock, you will end up 100k below the sun in the system where you docked with the carrier.
Can I undock if the carrier is docked in a base?
If the carrier docks in a base, you will lose the carrier docking point and upon undock you will end up in the last spot where you docked with the carrier.
What happens if the carrier dies?
All ships that were docked with the carrier will spawn 100k below in the center of the map.
What happens if I die after the carrier dies?
You'll just spawn in a "base" and you'll keep undocking 100k below in the center of the map untill you dock into a proper base.
Do I lose the modules after death?
I've died 6 times during testing and I didn't manage to lose them.
How can I view/jettison docked ships?
A docking module carrier may see which ships are docked by typing /listdocked and may jettison docked ships into space by typing /jettisonship <shipname> CASE SENSITIVE. Jettisoned ships will end up 100k below the sun in your current system.
A ship undocked and then tried to dock again but it says there's no space, what to do?
The docking module is probably bugged. The fix is to type /listdocked and jettison the ship that is supposedly docked on you.
What happens if the carrier logs off while ships are still docked?
The snubs will undock to the carrier's last known location (E.g carrier F1's near Newark, the snubs will undock near Newark)
If that happens will the snubs continue to "follow" the carrier after it logs back in?
No, you will have to dock again.
What happens if the snubs logs off while docked with the carrier?
As long as the carrier doesn't log off, the snubs will continue to follow the carrier, which means you can change ships
How much cargo takes one docking module? And what is the difference between the two different kind of "hangar" modules on the carriers (like the RM/LN carrier) are they taking less cargo?
In case you accidantelly allow the wrong dude to dock for example. or when the carrier is about to go down it spits out its docked ship to give them at least a last chance to live.
Not sure if that's necessary because he must first request docking access (Displays the name) then you must click him and type /allowdock. I am sure you can see that he's hostile or not:D