Sorry if this is too late after the original post, but I have a couple ideas for the universe problem. The server will simulate all areas in an X radius around ships and other objects (configurable in a serverside file) serverside, but clientside it will only load and display areas around your ships and relevant objects in another clientside-configurable option. This might cause lots of lag if you tried implementing local or LAN multiplayer, however. I also think that the spectator/observer mode is a great idea! But I think you should have two things added to it: A serverside spectator mode toggle, and a ship-by-ship toggle, for, say, spy satellites or a "Realism" server. I'm not entirely sure if these ideas will work, or if it's been solved already, but I'd love to see a working multiplayer KSP mod! If you used a flag mod along with it, you could claim planets, and show that bases and planets are your own. It would add an entirely new aspect to KSP.
