The Python is a good, tough ship to go exploring in and for a trip to Orion she can do everything you would want in terms of range and equipment. As someone who has a highly engineered combat/exploration Python, I can appreciate maintaining some defensive capability - as a minimum with a shield strong enough to enable you to escape from interdiction even if you do not intend to fight. Depending upon your combat rank, some NPCs can be nasty and although there are plenty of starports and outposts on the frontier that you can reach without needing to pass through inhabited systems, the security of exploring in a tough ship like the Python when you eventually return to inhabited space should not be dismissed.
.
You can make the most of that strength and get the hull engineered (even if you have not unlocked Selene Jean, Liz Ryder can do a level 1 upgrade) and you can keep the utility mounts filled - you have plenty of range already for the expedition you have in mind and won't lose much range, although I would add a PDT as some NPCs, especially Asps, tend to spam missiles and can quickly deplete a D-rated shield, or you could put in a D-rated shield booster with a resistance augmented mod. The 5A fuel scoop is unnecessary - the 6B is cheaper, scoops more and has almost identical power usage. A 6A power plant is also over the top for what you need, so switch to 5A or lower - you will still have power to spare with a loadout like this and AFMUs only need to be powered when in use (same goes for the cargo hatch and planetary vehicle hangar and also the power distributor, since you don't need to change pips in supercruise, maybe just turn it on when approaching a planet depending on whether you want 4 pips in thrusters or shields for a bumpy landing on a high-g planet). The stats look like you're using grade 3 clean drives so I'll assume you don't have access to Palin for anything better - but heat is not going to be a problem for you with such low power consumption, anyway, unless you want to land on planets extremely close to their hosts stars (another reason for keeping heat sinks). You don't need to min-max your ship for a trip to Orion, so consider what will help you to do the job you need and what will keep you alive both out in the black and upon your return. My own Python uses 6D thrusters and a 7D distributor and I'm happy with that but since you're not using weapons, you only need power to boost, so a 6D distributor with an engine-focused mod would work just as well (I keep the 7D because my Python needs the power for weapons).
.
Enjoy yourself! There are some spectacular views in that part of the galaxy.
![mtt9999 [Parabolus]](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/124/124206.jpg?1553527149){kind=avatar}
