I was thinking, sometimes you start a game, start to explore 30-40 systems, colonize dozens of planets and so on, the game start to get little boring because obviously you can't find any new NPR or space invaders or this famous "humans" lost ages ago ( I really wish to find them).
You are missing the most important factor in a game: competition and communication
So, I was thinking, Steve, about a new installation, a radio telescope or something like that, which works as the SETI program, giving the player indications and suggestions ( the bigger the installation, the more accurate is the information), where to find NPR or other forms of lives by catching radio signals.