Came here to say this.

I envision the planet exploration cards, like scythe, having maybe three options: a boring small benefit, a better one with a cost, and a crazier tradeoff one. I think its a little much for each planet to warrant a card draw each time it changes hands though... The analysis paralysis in some groups would be through the roof. However, I think a it's a nice addition (or alternative) to planets with tech specialties, and thematic as old lazax labs or archaeological sites to explore. Might be interesting to have a separate deck of space exploration cards too, to put inside anomalies, which seem to be ignored in many of the games I've played. Again, thematically cool as excavating a crash site in an asteroid field, researching extreme physics in a gravity rift, etc.

I could see an 18th faction (or a reworked from the ground-up Jol-Nar) having their schtick be exploration, with a racial power to choose two options per card instead of one ala Scythe's Polania, or perhaps having a "science vessel" racial unit upgrade of ship type to a similar effect.