Until they got it 100% operational (with the Tartigrade at first) the "Spore Drive" tech was so classified, only the small group of Engineers of the ship directly working with it were the ones who knew exactly what it was - the rest of the crew were just informed they were doing new propulsion experiments and the 'Black Alert' protocol.
The Black Badge security were there to keep non-essential crew out/away from the Spore Dive components and engineering spaces involved in operating it..
There’s also the strangeness with the water which was so important it made the previews. Also summarily dropped.
Lots of writer and hence idea turnover here.