OK how about this:
Currently scanning/exploring is silly, in that the galactic view knows what type of star it is, but when you arrive your computer doesn't until you scan it, (which is silly), also as soon as you scan the system you get images of the planets, but the computer still doesn't know what they are until you do a surface scan - at which time they out to be (generally) exactly what was pictured, (which is also silly). Also the surface scanner knows nothing....nothing....nothing...EVERYTHING 100% correct (which is a third type of silly).
So how about adding some uncertainty - the galactic view suggests a Dwarf M-type, but when you get there it might be something slightly different - not a black hole, but a similar star type - so you are correcting a mistake. When you scan a system you initially get locations and not much more - then as you get closer / do surface scans you can get mass, then type, then temperatures, and only get the full detection of life forms, terraformable etc after a long scan or a close scan. So when you return, you might have partial or incomplete data on some systems.
Now how about if certain black markets were able to sell a service which would 'fill-in' those blanks in your scanning data - by 'making it up'. So you could come back from a trip to the void, visit a black market dealer and increase the value of your data, by adding to it. Then when somebody else visits that same start system and does a scan, and returns to sell their data - that data might conflict with yours - and payment might be withheld until a 3rd person could visit and arbitrate. This might create some good missions - visit system x scan planet y and get temperature data etc. If you are caught trying to sell dodgy data, then you could be fined or have a penance to pay acting as arbiter on other dodgy scans. If you sell it first then of course you are long gone.
How about if payment was related not just to what you find, but the level of correction you apply. So if the galactic map says it's a fuel scoopable star, but it actually isn't - that's very useful and worth more than finding it is exactly what people looking through telescopes thought it was. But you might doctor your data to claim it's a black hole, generating more money, but thus prevent people from including it in fuelling routes. Correcting this would be valuable public service - thus exploring becomes to some degree useful and joined-up.
Wouldn't it be great if the galaxy map had locations, (object unknown), probable types, (seen through telescope or visited once), and confirmed star types, (visited twice or more)? This would allows for some illegal activity, some uncertainty and some ultimate purpose in mapping the galaxy.
I guess that could work...
