My advice to you is first start upgrading your mines to higher LVL to get more resources at /day then you should start upgrading research center to start building ships.
Right now I have played this game like 4 or 5 weeks and my Meta-Skill Level is 155.
I was lucky and I found new planet and I sold it for stardust.
That's my progress in game right now :) .
RE: How much time does it take to start the real game in nextcolony?