On Space Travel

Deep Space

The vast interstellar space that doesn't belong to anyone where spaceships can move freely in the state that allows space travel to be feasible. There are predetermined routes and rules of traffic in them that are agreed in the InterGalactic Council and supervised by the forces of all nations. Pirates are a rare (but not extinct) threat nowadays but contraband and illegal trade are always there. Of course if one moves outside well traveled routes or even completely off-route it's a whole different story. Off-route anything can happen as experienced mariners say.

Near Space

It is the space area surrounding a planet including its satellites and extending to a distance of roughly two-hours normal space travel. It is considered part of a planet's territory and is subject to its law (at long as it doesn't conflict with intergalactic law). In essence near space is a planet's borders and all planets regularly patrol it and monitor all spaceship traffic. That can be taken with a grain of salt in the case of small/poor planets.

In Orbit

In every inhabited planet but also in many uninhabited ones of great interest (resources etc) there is at least one space station in orbit. These stations are the main points of arrival/departure for interstellar travel. Their main function is to ferry people and goods between surface and space but they usually develop in focal points for commercial and other activities. Depending on the planet the services provided vary as does the quality. The bigger/more affluent planets (esp home planets of the empires) possess more stations often specialised (eg cargo, passenger, military etc). They are part of the planet and under its law (bound by intergalactic law of course). For a spaceship to remain in orbit outside a space station a permission is needed by the authorities.

Surfacing/Spaceports

In most planets there are designated spaceports where the shuttles from and to the space stations land and take-off. In planets that lack organised spaceports any suitable flat surface is used. Some smaller spaceship classes also have landing abilities. A special permit is needed by the planet's authorities but smaller/uninhabited planets have usually no means to enforce that.