Cool mod

No effect on the factions.
Pirates are spacer tech factions (Empire is ultra).

Does this make Pirates not spawning with weird spacer tech? I find hilarious that a faction that send paws with knife also equips them with shield pack.

Unless Research stepping stones removes a research project (thing who would be stupid to do), yes it should work.

does it work with Research stepping stones?

This is just an opinion.
Advanced component are called 'ComponentSpacer' in game files, when component are called 'ComponentIndustrial', the change seems legit to me.
Transport pod is one of the end game way to travel (with empire's shuttle), and looks pretty futurist, even mechanoids use them. This tech is vastly adopted, but I like to think it's maintened by pawns with Spacer knowledge.

After, if you don't like one change, it's very easy to edit the patch.

Advanced fabrication should not be spacer tech, neither should the transport pod be one.
Other than that, solid mod