THEORY AND DESIGN CURVES FOR A YO-YO DE-SPIN MECHANISM FOR SATELLITES

Abstract

The yo-yo de-spin mechanism is essentially two pieces of wire with weights on the ends. These wires are symmetrically wrapped around the equator of the satellite and the weights are secured by a release mechanism. At a preselected time after satellite spin-up and separation from the launching vehicle, the weights are released, thus discarding enough momentum to reduce the spin of the satellite to the desired value. Equations are developed for the yo-yo de-spin mechanism. Under conditions usually met in a de-spin application, the equations can be greatly simplified. A computation sheet is presented based on the simplified equations. The design of a de-spin mechanism is thus reduced to reference to a chart and a few simple calculations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0260758

Entities

People

  • J. V. Fedor

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Energy
  • Equations
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Flight
  • Government Procurement
  • Gravitational Fields
  • Inertia
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Mass
  • Moment Of Inertia
  • Momentum
  • Release
  • Release Mechanisms
  • Space Flight

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Game Theory.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers