I would like to see some deployable to allow us to use gas giants in some aspect (though at a reduced ability). An expensive orbital that produced at a lesser rate then a ground facility might fit the bill.

Pity to lose the current station graphic though, maybe have enough variation to use both?

Currently a deployed outpost mounts a reactor and an outpost system. Materials cost is slightly less then a colony ship. Perhaps add a hydroponics bay as a possible outpost system choice. + 1 food at start, +1 additional for Artificial Organisms (total +2), +1 additional for weather control (total ...

Bug or feature?
The human starter heavy cruiser can be upgraded anywhere with or without a shipyard until you have researched heavy hulls. At that point 2 shipyards are required.

Assualt ship berths already have this scale issue, and TBH they work reasonably well (This game has battlemechs, forgive me but I class it as a soft science game). I just found the idea of a human heavy cruiser acting as a trade ship (a cargo bay would let you ply the trade lanes after all) to be ...

Since terraforming is locked out on race homeworlds, should it not also be locked out on Gaia? Most terraforming options are bad there, a few are disasters, and the natives would likely revolt if you tried to terraform their world.

Is the Stellar surge cannon supposed to have the Accurate modifier available, since in its defaults it has always hits as a modifier?

The trade system you have set up is extremely elegant, and I like it very much (One reason I think some Phidi and Human combat vessels (especially the starter CA) should be able to double as traders). Basic cost of entry is an empty cargo bay.
What If we added another system to the game for science ...

Concerning scanners, some suggestions. Passive ability in combat to see enemy ship stats in combat, perhaps an improvement to initiative. An Active function per round to increase damage on a single ship (targeted per round, lost if scanner is destroyed) from friendly fire (maybe 10%)

Yoral HDD comes with a point defense mount, as standard (I know, I love that hull as a yoral). We will have to agree to disagree, I suppose. Also, remember, I was not suggestion more weapons, I was suggestion cargo capacity (Phidi should have it also). Good chatting with you.

More that any human ship past assault cruiser is not viable to produce at all. Without long range firepower in late game you get chewed up. This is why the yoral Heavy destroyer is so lethal, small material cost, short production time, hard hitting, and easily able to move into firing position.

Human Heavy Cruiser 2 x 1 heavy weapon mounts
Human Battleship (they have no Battle cruiser) 2 x 1 heavy weapon mounts, 2 x 2 missle bays

Teros/Haduir Heavy Cruiser 2 x 1 heavy weapon mounts
Teros/Haduir Battlecruiser 4 x 1 heavy weapon mounts

Gremak Command cruiser 2 x 1 heavy weapon mounts, 1 x ...

Human ships seem to be far underpowered compared to the hulls fielded by the other factions (Apart from the Phidi, of course).
It might be a bug that their scout hulls can't mount armor (Every other scout class can). Since the human scout and destroyer both use the same amount of resources to build ...