I just recently finished The Finder Chronicles series by Suzanne Palmer, and I am hoping to find other spacefaring sci-fi series with similar elements. I have tried searching various platforms for book series in the same vein, but I keep coming up with the same few suggestions I have already read, so I am hoping people on here might have some more niche suggestions I am otherwise unlikely to have come across on my own.
In terms of what I like most about the series, I enjoy that it is fairly character focused and spends a lot of time developing friendships, general interpersonal relationships, and character motivations. I also like that the series tends to change the overall setting each book, so you get to meet new characters and the story stays interesting, while still carrying over the overarching plot. The thing I especially like, however, is that while deeply upsetting things do happen in the books, they still have an overall air of positivity at the end.
I would also prefer series written from (at oldest) the 2000s onward, but if you think an older series would be to my liking (and it has progressive, modern takes [i.e. no positive depictions of sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc.]) feel free to recommend it!
Book series I have seen recommended that I have already read are:
The Expanse by James S. A. Corey
Wayfarers by Becky chambers
Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie
The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
by JetTakesFlight