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The NASA Docking System (NDS) is NASA's implementation of the newly adopted International Docking System Standard (IDSS). The NDS blends state-of-the-art low-impact docking technology which has been under development for many years by the Engineering Directorate at the NASA Johnson Space Center with the heritage Russian Androgynous Peripheral Assembly System (APAS) hard mating interface. The NDS design will be made available as a common design for use by future NASA and United States Commercial Crew vehicles.
The International Space Station (ISS) plans to implement the IDSS via a new element, called the International Docking Adapter (IDA), which will convert the two existing Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) docking ports from APAS interfaces to IDSS-compliant docking ports for future Visiting Vehicles. NDS users will be assured compatibility with these docking ports.
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