To me, this game's "end" will come only after the modding community will become dry. Even if 0.9 would be the last release (God forbid) and eventually modders would too come to complete their mods, I will still in the future pick this game up and play, as I have been since I found it.
Sadly here patience can make people see the delay of a full (or beta) release as something good or something bad. Although admittedly anyone that is still aboard the ship, must be in one or another way enjoying the ride, even if it is the hope to see it complete. I myself am on the side of people that feel that my money have more than being paid for, thanks to the continues updates of the game and the team that give their time for it, as much as all the modders that selflessly from my perspective have been contributing greatly in how wonderful the game has been at any version I have played it. They for sure have every right to hope for a final release of the game, so they can come to a conclusion that will know will remain viable for users to come.
Personally the previous year I booted up 0.6.5.2, only so I could enjoy some specific mods. To me, older versions (back to 0.5.4.1a at least) just register in my mind as a different game mode, simpler and/or easier.
As a final thought you, when I saw 0.9a patch notes up in the news, first thing that passed through my mind was "so close". That to me translated as Starsector is soon to be a final step away, from what Alex always wanted it to be, as a base game at least. I bought the game fully prepared that it might never reach a complete 1.0 release (thanks to my experience with Steam), but here I am now thinking I am definitely getting the complete Starsector.
Bless Alex, the people that help him and all the modders, along with the whole community that helps in their way.