My suggestion, invest solely in tech before collecting info; that way, you can harvest from more worlds, blow the crap out of more ships with your flagship, and be ready for any new info you collect if it leads to combat. Plus, in case you're head-to-head against an Ur-Quan, you'd best be prepared. Those Ion-bolt pellet guns can only do so much, and while you're at it, suggest you invest in a second gun in the second slot. 3 shots are better than 1.
Oh yeah, when navigating via starmap, especially when looking for systems by-name, you can type in the name of the star system to find it, as well as set course much quicker. Like typing Kru-- will immediately point you to the Krueger system.
Combat tip regarding Ilwrath: The ships may be invisible, but only in deep space. Their shadows obscure the combat stars, however. Use that to keep track of them. It also helps to find a way to harmlessly provoke them to attack to reveal themselves briefly. Just as well, when the Vindicator is armed with 3 cannons (1 in front, 1 in second), the front fires 0-degrees, the other 2 fire 15-degrees offset from center. Your chances of hitting at a distance increase dramatically, and that additional spread, and angular difference will make combat against them that much quicker.
EDIT:
Hyperspace escape tactic: Park near a planet when you rabbit outta there. As much as it stops you 100%, you also can't fall into the planet (not even asteroids can move you). Give your enemy a disadvantage at hitting you at the risk of hitting the planet in the process. Just as well, in case you're in combat against numerous ships (in some cases, you'll be fighting up to 6-10 ships; much the time, Ur-Quan will fight like this), hit escape just after you kill the first/nth guy. It'll guarantee a quick getaway just as the next guy arrives (since the first paces of escape happen during your victory tune).