You can rename whoever you want to rename.
Personally i think asking for a captains name *and* a ships name before the game even starts is too much (or maybe that's just me, because i hate making up names) Maybe a option to have a predefined captains name list, like you can already do with the ships names?
At this point in time there is exactly one NPC who might join your crew that has a name. (Right! must name that gunner! Thanks for reminding me!) And he keeps it.
The radioing ship on stuck planet thingy
there are 2 1/2 of those, btw
is obviously a bug, and will be fixed with the next release.
The ETA 0 thing is new, gotta look into that. thanks.
Documentation (in and out of game) has been *ahem* lagging slightly... those would be 2 good places to add a little info for the beginning player! Thanks for pointing those out!