There's a couple mission types that will only let you interact with data points or destroy the power generator from the SRV. Quite annoying. Planetary scans that require you to "find" the outpost usually require an SRV to approach the data terminal. Missions to disable the "power grid", not to destroy the "power generator", will only allow SRVs to damage the generator or interact with the data terminals. Did some of these the other night and you definitely have to be in your SRV. Grinded my nose on the generator dumping rockets, nothing. Grinded nose on terminals, no interaction. Get out in the SRV, everything works.
Typical FD poor implementation. They wanted us to use our SRV but instead of introducing SRV specific content, they just copy paste existing content we interact with from our ship, except with the copy-pastas we magically can't.

This is why my mission running ships always have an SRV, incase I encounter extra immersion and fun. Though I will say that perhaps you weren't close enough (<100m) as the terminals in missions I'm speaking of say nothing from your ship.