Can you launch a ship with docking ports pre-docked?

[DevoidLight]

Because if so that would make building my space station a lot easier.

[Captain Sierra]

yes BUT there is a limit to what you can launch because of weight and structural stability. Docking ports are not the most stable things in the world.

[Kanddak]

Yes. They don't even have to be docked to other docking ports!

[DerekL1963]

Because if so that would make building my space station a lot easier.

You may need to strut around them, but yes, you can.

If you look at my small station, the docking port joint in the middle did not need struts, but the docking port-to-decoupler joint at the base (to the right) did.

[Alistone]

Yes. They don't even have to be docked to other docking ports!

They are connected almost like a decoupler. To seperate them the first time you right click on the port and select "decouple node".

I have had an atomic engine-orange tank-docking port lower stage that I used as a 3 part orbital tanker. Just have to be careful because without a command capsule it is classified as debris.

But yes, you can "dock" to debris too.

[lammatt]

of cos

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[RexKramer]

One thing to watch for when replacing decouplers with docking ports is that by default the lower stage will now consume fuel from the upper stages first. Decouplers leave the upper stage fuel alone.

I like to use docking ports instead of decouplers too. One way to solve the fuel transfer problem is to right-click the docking port, and 'disable cross feed'. Otherwise, you just need to check all your fuel tanks before you decouple, and transfer if required.

[KerbMav]

Otherwise, you just need to check all your fuel tanks before you decouple, and transfer if required.

Which would make for some awesome minutes during ascent!

OT: Keep in mind that even with docking ports you cannot build "circles" in the VAB. You can only build treelike, ever growing in all directions, but never connect back to another branch.

Building docking ports aligned perfectly so they dock as soon as the craft is loaded on the launchpad can be quite a challenge - better to launch in parts an assemble in orbit, rendezvouing and docking is one of the big parts for fun and all - as always.

[AndreyATGB]

Keep in mind that any docking ports WILL transfer fuel by default. Say you have your probe/lander with a docking port on the bottom connected to the lifter. The lifter's engine will use up your probe's fuel unless you disable fuel cross feed on the docking port. You don't need 2 ports for this to happen.

[Anton P. Nym]

There is also a problem (that I encountered last night, alas) that can lead to pre-docked components being unable to separate. I could not for the life of me keep the darned ports from interpenetrating (clipping into) each other in the VAB... struggled for an hour before giving up and going with separators instead.

-- Steve