There are a few indie games like this. Artemis is the first to come to mind but it’s old, primitive, and clunky to play. Empty Epsilon is a free open-source spiritual successor that’s supposed to be better, but I haven’t played it.
Stationeers is vaguely that sort of thing, but more focused on maintaining a space station than exploring.
Star trek sim. Like bridgecrew but better. Larger crews including a medical and engineering and security.
Faster than light is close, but not really a sim perse
Giant alien spiders are no joke!
This isn’t so much a sim thing, but I would love to have a spaceship game that was like Sea of Thieves.
Honestly, Deep Rock Galactic could be that if it had more of a world to explore
There are a few indie games like this. Artemis is the first to come to mind but it’s old, primitive, and clunky to play. Empty Epsilon is a free open-source spiritual successor that’s supposed to be better, but I haven’t played it.
Stationeers is vaguely that sort of thing, but more focused on maintaining a space station than exploring.