spacecraft, technological efficiency of manufacturing, testing, and use; time needed to create the device; convenience and efficiency of control and monitoring; energy consumption; time to execute operations; cost, etc. To dock, maintain a docked state, and undock, the docking device should carry out the following basic operations: 1) shock absorption; 2) compensation for initial error; 3) linkage (formation of the primary connection); 4) equalization; 5) coupling; 6) combining the joint with final equalization; 7) rigid connection with hermetization of the joint (formation of secondary connection); 8) undocking (with separation of primary and secondary connections); 9) separation of spacecraft after separation of connections; 10) signaling to monitoring and control system of spacecraft. Some of these operations may not be done, for example, the formation of a secondary connection, hermetization, etc. The docking device also carries out other operations: 1) opening of hatches; 2) release of tunnel; 3) connection of electrical and hydraulic junctions; 4) pressurization and depressurization of tunnel; 5) verification of hermeticity, etc. Docking and undocking may be done 1) automatically; 2) from remote control from the cosmonaut's panel; 3) from remote control from Earth along the command radio line; 4) manually. The execution of the operations is monitored on the cosmonaut's panel (on manned flights) and using the radio telemetry system at Flight Control Center. The docking device has mechanisms which fully or partially back up the execution of the critical operations. Redundancy is one of the main ways of increasing the reliability of the docking device. The docking device consists of two assemblies. The mechanisms and elements of the docking assembly are intended for the formation of an accurate and rigid joint, structurally and/or functionally divided into four groups: 1) hull; 2) docking mechanism; 3) docking frame; 4) additional units and elements. The hull with the docking frame is the main and the bearing element of the docking assembly on which the docking mechanism and the mechanisms of the docking frame are installed. The docking mechanism executes the main operations for the formation of the primary mechanical connection from the first contact, including shock absorption,
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