How the NASA Docking System Works 

Responses to some FAQs: 1) Why Boeing and not SpaceX? I want to clarify that the NASA docking system is NOT the SpaceX docking system, they are two different designs built to the IDS standard making them compatible with the International Docking Adapters (IDAs) on the space station. However, as far as what the video shows they share the same general anatomy as dictated by the IDS standard. The reason I chose to cover the NDS is simple, the SpaceX system doesn't have publicly available technical overview documents like those I read for the NDS. 2) Isn't the NDS androgynous? This block 1 NDS is not androgynous. However, androgynous capability is reserved for future block iterations of the NDS. 3) But didn't RSC Energia build this? I've seen a lot of people asserting that the NDS has been developed/built by the Russian company RSC Energia. Their involvement was simply with the construction of some of the IDAs components since the IDAs are adapting from Energia's APAS docking ports already on the station. Hey everyone! Unfortunately, there was an anomaly with Starliner's orbital insertion burn during its inaugural test flight. Despite cancelling the Space Station docking, Starliner returned to Earth safely. We'll have to wait until the next Starliner mission to see the NASA Docking System in action. BUT!... You can have a go at flying Starliner yourself, which has been added to the most recent update of my game "Manual Docking" available on iOS and Android.

Most detailed video of docking I've ever watched. Good job.

Crew Dragon just docked!

Dr. Brand: Cooper, what are you doing? Cooper: Docking

I actually feel humbled watching this video and thinking about how this system has been designed by some of the most intelligent engineers in the world to be safe, robust, reliable, lightweight, repairable, flexible, temperature extreme resistant, radiation resistant, G-force and shock resistant, vacuum resistant and meet dozens of other design constraints whilst also being simple rather than complex so that any country can use the specifications to build a matching spacecraft docking mechanism that can interface with NASA's. The symmetry of the design and the functional nature of the two stage (soft/hard) docking process is also very admirable.

This is such a high-quality video and was exactly the kind of material I was looking for to learn about the docking procedure. You deserve 100x the sub count you currently have. Keep up the great work.

Makes you realise the incredible amount of engineering that goes into every aspect of space flight. Great video.

5:36 "compressing the elastomeric seal" => "pushing the big rubber O ring" :)

I find something oddly charming about the low polygon count in the animation. Makes me think of the video for Money For Nothing by Dire Straits. Look at them yo-yos, that's the way you do it.

Who's here after Crew Dragon Demo-2 docked into ISS?

Ahhh, thanks for explaining this. I was quite familiar with the shape of these docks, as I model the system in 3D twice; but my model was for looks only; it was not functional, and I had no idea what all those little parts were, or how they worked. So good to know, finally!

As always, a great video! The visualization is super helpful in understanding how it works.

THAT OUTRO IS SO GENIUS!

Truly an excellent video, personally one of my favorites of yours! The animation, topic, explanation, you did an amazing job!

I never understood how this worked from other docking mechanism guides, now I can really understand thanks to your great animations. thanks

This is awesome, the shuttle doors at the end opening and then the next two videos being shown was the icing on the cake!

Well done! This is by far the most detailed and most understandable video of docking i have ever seen on YT so far. Again very good Job

excellently demonstrated.... easy to learn

This video is phenomenal. Needs way more views.

One of the great things about the design is how symmetrical it is. Everything is mirrored, so any two of the docking port can get together and latch through the hard capture.

Thank you, the high quality engineering like this makes me smile

I've watched this so many times that when I watch the ISS live docking I have this running in the background of my mind. ;-)

This channel deserves more subscribers. Great video!

This is great, you deserve more subs. Great video

You can be proud of these graphics, sir! Well done. Good explanation, and not a word wasted. You set a fine example for all educational RU-vidrs. Subscribed!

Came here to understand what I am seeing when watching a docking sequence. This is so we'll explained thank you.

This is exactly the video I was looking for! Excellent explanation. I tried to find out how spacex dragon actually docked to the ISS and couldn't find anything this detailed.

Thanks so much for this video. I just watched Crew Dragon attach to the ISS on its first historic docking, and this is the best video I have found on how the IDA system works!

I find it a tad bit funny this animation uses the spacecraft that both, wasn't the first to fly humans from the US (out of both commercial options), and also wasn't the first to even dock to the space station. But by using it as the reference model makes it sorta feel like the "default" when it's anything but. But I still do appreciate the video, I'm a fan of rocketry but I don't think I have ever actually found satisfying imagery of how docking *actually* works so this is much appreciated

Great explanation of how the docking system works.

Nice! I always wondered about the specifics of the docking procedure. It all makes sense now.

Great video! Exactly what I was looking for!

This needs way more views!

Thanks for this informative video on some of the details of this system, much appreciated!

I actually saw that "lunge" happen during the crew dragon docking! I always wondered what was going on, glad RU-vid recommended this to me.

I've always wondered. Thank you.

Excellent, subscribed +

This answered like 10 questions I had. Thanks!

Amaizing! Thanks you for explaining it so well.

Wow, great job. I have built a few of these docking systems and am working on the HLS androgynous version and you did a fantastic job explaining how the entire system works.

What a well executed and detailed explanation of the international docking system. Always wondered how it operates!

Thanks for the explanation.👍

Great video as always ! Very technical, I learned a lot !

supper easy to understand thanks for making this video

"Underrated" is an understatement. Really, this is some brilliant engineering. Thanks for this awesome video!

That is a lot of engineering! Nice video

Great work thank you. It's so impressive that they have this system today! (only little drawback is that it takes time for the hard capture latches to be driven in and out. In case of emergency the crew can't just quickly hop into the capsule and undock. But at least they can seal the hatch)

Fantastic video. Been wondering how it works and you explained it here.

You have cleared all my doubts about docking systems. Thank you. Keep it up. God bless you

Much more complicated the one would think. TY for the explanation!!

Amazing video! Thank you!

Thanks for showcasing how they dock :)

Super cool and informative, thanks!

Thank you! This was so cool. Appreciate the info in the video.

That was really clear. Thanks.

thx exactly the info needed and nice visualised.

amazing, thank you so much! this is everything i need for a project, you saved me :)

Thanks for the upload and info..i always wondered how the docking system works. now i know. thumbs up.

Solid and detailed video. Thank you for the content! I enjoyed learning about this quite a bit. New sub 🚀

Superb explanation, and that coupled with remarkable animation is what I desparately wanted. Finally I learnt something.

Exactly what i have been looking for (ever) ... Perfect explanation ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Great video, well explained, well animated !

Thank you for this video.

this finally answered my question of how the docking system works :D i was absolutely astonished by how the animations were and how he explained everting so perfectly. BTW im a new viewer for this channel and im very impressed.

Wow, this is incredible

Excellent description and graphics. Glorious 80's techno music!

Very informative, thanks!

Clear and simple. Now I know, thank you.

Awesome video. Thanks!

Super well done!

thanks so much. very well done.

Thanks very much for this.

I´ve been looking for an explanation of the docking procedure for weeks and haven´t found a good explanation. Then suddenly your Video was recommended :D Thank you for this Video, i just subscribed. :)

Thank you!

Very cool video ! Now i understand how they got rid of the mouvement the Dragon had before finishing docking !

Merci pour tes explications

Great video, thanks!

Cool stuff, thanks for sharing.

Dude what an awesome video!

Thanks for this. I have always wondered how the latches work.

Thanks Young Genius boy, The world are need you

Excellent video, I had no idea what was happening during docking until now.

this looked much easier in Kerbal Space Program....

Makes you realize how incredibly complicated docking is, something sci-fi takes for granted.

Awesome explanation! :D

I’ve always wondered how the system worked ever since I got into Kerbal Space Program. It’s an insanely complex maneuver, and gives me even more respect to not only the astronauts who performed this, but the engineers and designers who made it all possible.

Cool, very well done.

Well explained.

Amazing!

Excellent video

Explained a lot for me... Thanks.

awesome video!

I just think it's neat that there's an international docking system standard...

Wow great info 👌👌

This is so cool!!!

Nice, thanks

Worth the subscription, but also a great video!

That was an excellent video. Very well explained and very interesting. Thanks! ps. Subbed.

nice now i know some technical things being called out during docking

Great content!