Jerry I dont think you stepped into anything.
Look two points
First it would be easy to deflect the questions I (and others) have raised about suitsat or suitsat 2 by simply answering the questions. Someone must know what the total cost on suitsat 1 were, someone must have (I assume) run a failure analysis and figured otu what went wrong (or what the candidates were)...
But when the answers turn out to be "well if you wanted to be productive you wouldnt ask these questions" then sorry 3 decades of volunteering, professional aviation/aerospace, and raising kids tell me that there are no good answers.
Amsat is declining as an organization, some of it is how times change and other parts of it is that the BOD and others are not adapting to the changing times (or are in it to serve themselves).
second and just as an aside. I really dont care much for "the silent majority". It was J. Bartlett delegate from NH who when signing the DOI said "Decisions are made by those who show up". The silent majority is generally the most useless group of people ie they wont make their voices heard and are just like cows.
It was "the silent majority" who allowed Columbia to go up in a ball of flame, people who would, in the halls voice a lot of concern but when it came time to tell the powers that be, who had already said "things were fine"...well they were the silent majority.
One of the proudest moments in my life was when my father in law, a retired Navy Four star stood up and said going to Iraq was the dumbest thing he had ever heard of. That was pre boots on the ground. He was pilloried but in the end, he was correct.
Take care and thanks for your thoughts
Robert WB5MZO
_________________________________________________________________ Windows Live: Keep your friends up to date with what you do online. http://windowslive.com/Campaign/SocialNetworking?ocid=PID23285::T:WLMTAGL:ON...