Need Help (like all the others)

Not sure what your asking with your second question.

To build ships/bases in sectors without a planet you need to design a ship with a Spaceyard component. you can get the component by reaching level 10 research in 'Space Yards' (in Stock) or if you play BM you start with the component.

BM means Balance mod, which as it suggests balances out things. As cerberus said instead of having an infinite number of tech levels you have a limited number and it makes things more accesible such as bases and space yard components from the start.

I've never really looked at it but I think you would get other races abilities if you ahve a planet full of them. I'm pretty sure if you build a ship on a planet full of another race they will man and give their abilities to that ship.

AFAIK, migrated alien populations and conquered alien populations that are now part of your Empire take on your races characteristics in everything but their atmosphere type. I'm pretty sure its like that but hey, Fyron or Cap'n could prove me wrong, who knows.

Some people seem to think that a ship, if manned by a paticular population gets that population's racial bonuses in combat, I've yet to test this myself however.