There are three things which make Space a really intriguing game for strategists.

1) Most of the formulae behind the game are unknown.
2) Most of the events in the game include a tiny random element, which makes the game not quite perfectly predictable.
3) The 10 species are wildly different, requiring a completely different strategy when you change species, yet very well balanced in the standard game.

This means your playing experience is significantly different when you change species, and it is quite possible to win a galaxy playing any of the 10 species. Even so, there are definitely broad strategies that are worthwhile understanding, and pitfalls that should be avoided.