What's your objection to hydroponics?
Currently - none.
What other ideas do you have for station-only industries?
I can generate you half-infinity +1 suggestions, but most of them are... well... forget. Non radical ones:
1.
Zero gravity chemical lab - produce organic, consuming food. Productivity is BAD (produce <colony size - 4> organics and consume <colony size - 1> food, can be improved by AI cores), but might be useful if player does not have planet with "organic" yet.
2.
Custom ship assembling dock - produce income in credits based on a "ship quality". Consume large amount of ship hulls ( 8 ) and heavy armaments (6) . Do not make any income if demands not met. Grants -30% penalty to current colony fleetsize. Can not be built together with heavy machinery or orbital works. AI cores slight decrease fleetsize penalty (-25, -20, -15).
3.
Space casino - unique
astropolis industry. Produce raw income based on an "accessibility" value. Consume large amount of luxury goods (9), domestic goods ( 8 ), recreational drugs (7) and lobsters (2). Decreased income if not met. Slight bonus to population growth, -4 stability penalty, *0.5 ground defense decrease, adds -25% hazard rating condition. AI cores decrease demands, upkeep and increase profits.
4.
Improved asteroid control center - unique
mining station industry. Do not do anything without AI core. Gamma core slightly increase accessibility, Betta in addition increase productivity of any terraforming in system, Alpha adds +1 to ore and rare ore production in mining. Consume DEA (7) and heavy machinery (6). Does not give anything if not met. Pathers will hug you till the death. Really hight maintenance.
5.
Expanded stratospheric infrastructure - unique
siphon industry. Grants accessibility bonus to gas giant it orbiting (not siphon). Alpha AI core will add +1 to volatiles production in mining. Consume a lot of metal (10), transplutonics ( 8 ) and supplies (9). Costly in maintenance, but can be improved by AI cores.
6.
Human waste disposal - consume crew, based on a market size and yeld -1 in harvested organs. Decrease accessibility, population grows and adds -25% hazard level condition. AI cores decrease penalties, but not remove. Industry slot.
7.
Improved supply center consume DAE (5) and lobsters (3).
Minor increase of fleetsize and ground defense to all player markets in system. Can not have more than one in a system. Does not provide bonuses if demands not met. AI cores decrease demand, upkeep, alpha adds +1 to stability to that markets. Industry slot.
8. Damn
station shield - see the planetary shield.
9.
Smart minefield - generate a large minefield cloud around station, that gives -3 speed penalty to any fleet hostile to owner. Friendly fleets are not affected. Consume 10 volatiles, 6 DEA and 8 heavy armaments. -25% accessibility penalty. AI cores increase size. Despite does not produce anything it is an industry.
There are more, but heresy.