Brian Thompson (Drogen) is no stranger to TV space-based Sci-fi. In addition to multiple Star Trek roles (including two Klingons, a Romulan, and a Jem-Hadar), he played a recurring villain on The X-Files (1993).
As the start, Ty calls out to his mother, who is in her bed, in almost the exact manner as when to Stewie Griffin called out to Lois in Stewie Loves Lois (2006), another Seth MacFarlane production.
The props used for Dr. Finn's suitcases are modified Samsonite hardshell rolling suitcases.
The first episode to make explicit reference to the Union officers' use of a translator device, presumably similar to the version used on Star Trek. While it could be assumed such a device was used in earlier episodes, this is the first time it is confirmed.
The repeated warning of the shuttle's computer: "Too low, terrain. Too low, terrain." is the same as in present-day ground proximity warning systems for airplanes in case of unsafe terrain clearance and not in landing configuration.