No upgrades at all!? Holy crap thats elite. I'm at least getting the human upgrades. I like using my turrets though so I wont go any Alien upgrades since they turn on you after you install a few.
I'm on normal as well and it's hard. Beat a nightmare (but dodged the next one), beat a lot of the harder mobs, but not sure how far I am in. Probably also 7 hours.. went through GUTS, opened 4 of 5 airlocks.. currently trying to get more materials to make more Mod kids.
Fun stuff!