I got the sense that the game is supposed to be, trying to be an open exploration game, but fails. Isn't it a self-described 'space Odyssey'? Doesn't that suggest grand-in-scale? There are a lot of planets to explore, there just isn't much there, and when there is something to see, its little more than a few rooms or corridors. You can tell they put effort into the lore, they provide details on each planet. Its just when it comes down to the 3d environments, they skimped.
If their intention was to give the player the means and the desire to explore, without providing anything substantial or rewarding to see, then mission accomplished I suppose. Forgive me if I don't congratulate them for setting their sights low. Its a missed opportunity, in any case.