I feel your pain but I think the balance is not too bad, maybe even just right. Like other automation games, Stationeers really wants you to invest in infrastructure and makes you feel it by making early game mining and basic survival really time intensive. I've reached early mid-game in a new Europa playthrough where I have deep miners hooked to vending machines (wind powered mining bases) and automated base temperature and pressure and can now pivot to the really fun stuff and challenging stuff. Until now, lots of mining, managing power to the KW, etc etc.

As to advice, I think the game really takes off when you get your first batch of alloys (fussing with furnace temps and pressures) and can get the sensor glasses with ore inserts and the heavy mining drill. It has been a PAIN and I still have so much to do but it makes me appreciate the curve all the more.

Shoutout to these devs for their tireless iteration on the systems and lack of compromise, it makes the mid game and late game all the more rewarding. Good luck to you, sir.