1) on base, before you'll take mission, you want to check whether system mentioned there is 1 or 10 jumps away, or is it on your way to system you already bounding for — just switch to starmap / navigation computer, find it, and switch back to mission screen.
2) in flight, you want to instruct repair bot what system you want to repair right now — switch to upgrade screen and press button (much like "Fix" on base, but implies less convenience). If you have that bot.
3) in flight, you want to refuel your thrusters' medium from hold (why big ship must carry it only in main storage ?) — switch, select, press button. If you have that bot.
The same for reactor, though less likely, of course. 4) The same for mounting new missile after pylon discharged or replacing one for another. If you have that bot (and time).
5) there's another vessel (shuttle or interceptor) in hold of your current big ship. How you're supposed to transfer cargo — to jettison ship, posess, then dock back on it ?
Would it not be simpler to open your cargo screen, select ship on another half and transfer cargo between ships ? Besides, this way launching interceptors and jettisoning cargo will not be mixed together.The same screen to rearm your interceptor/shuttle, repair it (if you have such a facility on board), etc.
Player could do it all via few additional buttons on data screens, enabled conditionally (like existing ones).
Anyway, it's necessary for multiplayer to sit on base while real-time activity continues normally, so why not ?