How does it look when you open the hatch of the Service Module hatch after ATV docking? Take a look at this picture from ISS Expedition 30: you have a front-seat view of the ATV docking system!
Sasha and I have had to do this operation several times during our simulations this past week. When you release service module the hatch and move it out of the way, the cone that is normally exposed to outer space becomes visible. That cone is the passive part of the docking mechanism: when the docking probe makes contact with the conic surface, the wall guides it in until it’s captured by the latches.
If you missed it, you can take a look at L-363 logbook for more info about the docking system. In this picture, of course, the docking sequence is completed and the docking probe is fully retracted. Also, before opening the cone-shaped hatch of the Service Module, the crew would have leak-checked the vestibule, which is the little volume between the two hatches that is formed at docking. And finally, it would be time to actually open the ATV hatch and ingress.
You can find more info about ingress operations in this older logbook!
(Trad IT) Traduzione in italiano a cura di +AstronautiNEWS qui:
https://www.astronautinews.it/tag/logbook/
(Trad ES) Tradducción en español aquí:
https://www.intervidia.com/category/bitacora/
(Trad FR) Traduction en français par +Anne Cpamoa ici:
https://anne.cpamoa.free.fr/blog/index.php/category/logbook-samantha
28/11/2013