

PCsat SPIN rate.

PCsat uses black and white painted antennas around its middle to provide
some spin torque due to differential radiation pressure.  Last time we
measured it in March, the spin had slowed and stabalized to about 0.6 RPM.
We assumed this decay to steady state was due to losing any initial spin
from separation.

Today (at the end of a 2 week full sun period) we measured it again and it
was up to 0.8 RPM, almost 30% faster.  Now it is obvious that PCsat spins
up when it is in full sun and slows down as it goes through less sun
periods of maximum eclipse..

So the radiometer effect does work very well.

de WB4APR@amsat.org, Bob

CUBESAT Designs     http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/cubesat.html
APRS SATELLITES     http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/astars.html
