I don't think it silly to use what we have to advance.
I do think the Endeavor as a stationary science station is over-priced and a waste of resources.
We pay a premium for space travel on a hunk of machinery that doesn't need to move.
That premium is not just UEC, either... there's a premium on the insurance and maintenance, on the crewing and on the vulnerability, the security we'll need if we're at all successful.
I don't see an alternative, however, unless they offer lab/workshop annexes to our hangars. Or access to our own facilities orbit- or dirt-side.
There are other uses the Endeavor has that make it an attractive ship *in general* - specifically deep space research and mobile hospital. And o7 to the guys who are getting them now... like the Starfarer I think you are getting a hell of a deal.
But for materials research and overclocking, it doesn't make sense to require a mobile lab.
I just don't see it.
So, to start off, I'll trade with friends/org for the components I need, but eventually I'll have to secure my product pipeline and that means I'll need an Endeavor. A lot of investment to make tuned Holley 4-barrel Carbonizers for my RoloCorp Jump-drives ;-)
I can justify it in game as an "extra" for the Silent Running rig Nick will want, adding the Hope rig for org use and the skunkworks for Rolo.
But I sure wish they'd give us facilities in our hangar.