You can claim uninhabited Systems, build Stations and Ground bases, dictate the economy and (if you want) add a Superpower it is affiliated with. While there is more details to be shared yet, it seems this will be a very strong contender for the Features that SC has planned. As it stands right now, it seems you will be able to build your very own Empire among the billions of Stars Elite has. I wonder if we will get something similar in later updates after 1.0