I saw already thought it was odd that it was static, but I just kinda assumed it was meant to be. It made a bigger launch vehicle necessary. I saw in another mod (FASA, probably) it retracting, and it suddenly clicked that that was probably intended. This article certainly makes it sound like it should be, as if it goes on the bottom a more compact design is obvious, and since it was meant to be a rear docking port and not a storage area it's reasonable that it would be compacted on launch.