Seems that the makers of Elite: Dangerous have got their feedback to the point where they feel secure in setting a release date for the full version of the game: December 16th.
The game has been in beta for a few months now but it seems that Frontier are ready to put the game into dock at last. Speaking to Eurogamer David Braben expressed his excitement for the launch and for what the game could develop into later.

"No game is ever truly finished in the minds of those making it." He said. "When you are close to a project for a long time, you tend to see the things that have annoyed you; those things you know could be improved upon; those things you are afraid might not work well for people that are not 100 per cent au fait with the game. ...I think the best definition is that something is launch-ready when it is a great game."
“We thank you for the opportunity and promise that we will continue to engage openly with the extended community of players as we further enhance the Elite: Dangerous experience, both up to and after the release.”
If you want to pick up the game before the beta ends, you can do for a slightly reduced price of £35 which is a discount of £4.99.