Explorer I top stage rotation

In article ,
Brett Buck wrote:
Another example is that people originally thought that if you wanted a
satellite spin-stabilized, you could just set it spinning initally and
leave it that way...

The spin *rate* is usually pretty stable, assuming that it's
oblate...

Depends on the spacecraft configuration, and particularly on the presence
of flexible appendages and magnetic asymmetries. Alouette I was despun at
a very noticeable rate by light pressure (!) on its long antenna booms
(which were symmetrical in principle, but not in practice due to
asymmetric thermal expansion).

Yes, if your application permits it and you really work at it, you can
design spacecraft that will have very stable spins, but that came only
*after* the issues were understood.
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MOST launched 1015 EDT 30 June, separated 1046, | Henry Spencer
first ground-station pass 1651, all nominal! |