It actually enters the landing bay
It does not “dock”
Regards
Of course it’s portrayed as syncing rotational speed with the space station until the rates are perfectly aligned
The door(s) are open for entry ...
Great question! The distinction between docking and landing in spaceflight is all about the environment and the mechanics involved:Regards,🚀 When to Use Docking
Orbital Operations: Docking occurs when a spacecraft connects with another spacecraft or space station while both are in orbit.
Microgravity Environment: Since space stations like the ISS orbit Earth in microgravity, there's no surface to land on—so spacecraft must carefully maneuver and attach.
Examples:
A Soyuz capsule docking with the International Space Station (ISS).
A cargo spacecraft like SpaceX's Dragon attaching to the ISS to deliver supplies.
🌍 When to Use Landing
Planetary or Surface Contact: Landing refers to a spacecraft touching down on a solid surface, like Earth, the Moon, or Mars.
Atmospheric or Terrain Interaction: It involves descent through an atmosphere (if present) and physical contact with the ground.
Examples:
A Space Shuttle returning to Earth.
The Apollo Lunar Module landing on the Moon.
A Mars rover touching down on the Martian surface.
So, if the spacecraft is connecting with another object in orbit, it's docking. If it's coming down to a planetary surface, it's landing.