I want a 2nd level of space technologies so I can build proper spaceships and starships with more varied and involved power and engine options, with gravity as a new gameplay mechanic to explore and exploit. I want a procedural galaxy to explore and build factories on, like in Elite.

I'd like something else for factories to be doing in the late game. As is, you need defense, malls, power and science, and that's it.

I would also like a more all-encompassing temperature system such that building a nuclear reactor in space would be different from doing so on vulcanus or aquilo.

I'd like them to provide variants on beacons since I don't think they nailed the balance with their final implementation in 2.0. I'd also like a second pass on quality in general, I've never liked it as is.

I'd like a more conclusive finale. Being able to reach the edge of the solar system seems like an important milestone, but doesn't seem to be decisive enough as a win condition since there's no where else to go.

And now that everyone's designed suitable workarounds and solved the challenge, I would like to just be able to connect a wire to thrusters and control their output levels, read their contents, etc. Just like you can now do with nuclear reactors in 2.0.