First, apologies to all who left reviews stating "I wish this was an old Nick show instead", or "Nick should stick to cartoons". Very sorry. This show is something else, so to me it seems pointless to criticize this for what it isn't, and was never intended to be.
Second, it's important to understand that this is not what you're used to from Nickelodeon. This show is a joint effort with Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment, and without a doubt, they know how to make quality storytelling in the realm of space (Apollo 13, Mars). So unsurprisingly, the production quality of the show is outstanding. Truth be told, you would not recognize it as a Nickelodeon show, nor any other kids' show.
Lastly, to echo some others here, yes. The plot requires you to suspend some belief while going along for the ride. My retort to this is, what fictional space/sci-fi show doesn't require this to some extent? My recommendation is to take 1/2 hour out of your life, and watch the first episode with the whole family. I dare to predict that most or all will want to continue the journey.