Certain items could grant an extra slot for a certain type of equipment either as a bonus or as their sole purpose. For example, a "tech core" might be a power source that grants an extra utility slot as a bonus effect, or a "propulsion converter" might occupy a weapon slot to grant an extra propulsion slot.
Of course, if the equipment granting the bonus were to be destroyed or otherwise removed, the item in the lost slot would have to be unequipped/dropped. And, some care would be required in design to prevent the possibility of endlessly adding bonus slots, but I think there is potential here to open a wider variety of interesting strategies.
Of course, if the equipment granting the bonus were to be destroyed or otherwise removed, the item in the lost slot would have to be unequipped/dropped. And, some care would be required in design to prevent the possibility of endlessly adding bonus slots, but I think there is potential here to open a wider variety of interesting strategies.