Sounds like your flying ahead and straight into planet atmosphere.

If they've said "go ahead and dock" - just hold back a minute instead... as the *trigger* may not have been activated. When it does it will select the dock for you, and then you just hit dock (F4 if i remember).

You can also select the dock first by clicking your mouse onto it - and a box should appear around it. If you then press F4 you should be granted clearance to dock. Of course, you may not get clearance if the mission trigger allowing you to dock hasn't been activated.

Use either the - button to decrease speed (steer clear of the planet, don't get to close to the ring either!) or backspace (i think) to stop dead (can't remember now, might be confusing this with other space sims ).

Hope this helps out, if not - let us know

Thanks, well it haoppened a couple of times earlier but since then it hasn't happened again, so I'll carry on playing and if it happens again I'll bear in mind what you said.

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One easy trick is to look at the box in the lower left corner when you have it set to "show all". You should see the name of the place you want to dock -- planet docking ring, base etc. If you are a ways away, click on it and then click "go to". When you are close enough, click "dock". Your docking computers will do the work for you!