[Coldsaturn]

The Battlestar Galactica had all the raptors where the maintenance crew could take care of them (one of the Hangar Decks), then they were sent into a sort of tube (launch tube) that spit the raptors out into space at a velocity. There were also "parking" zones (Landing Bay) for when the raptors needed to get back to Galactica, and these areas had lifts on the floor that would bring the raptors down into the maintenance area.

In the series the hangar deck was where important people who arrived on board were welcomed by the entire crew in rank and file, so it checks out!