87:, a solid fuel rocket motor.) After firing, the satellite cannot be simply released, since such a spin rate is beyond the capability of the satellite's attitude control. Therefore, after rocket firing but before satellite release, the yo-yo weights are used to reduce the spin rates to something the satellite can cope with in normal operation (often 2-5 RPM). Yo-yo de-spin systems are commonly used on sub-orbital
101:, roughly 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) of weights, and 12-metre (39 ft) cables, reduced the initial spin rate of the 1,420-kilogram (3,130 lb) spacecraft from 46 RPM to 3 RPM in the opposite direction. The relatively small weights have a large effect since they are far from the spin axis, and their effect increases as the square of the length of the cables.
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In sounding rocket experiments and a final stage of satellite insertion, when the payload section or the satellite is separated from the lower motor, collision of the motor due to the residual thrust should be avoided. Conventionally, a tumble motor (small solid rocket propellant) or Yo tumbler is
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rocket collided with the fourth stage. By using one weight without a matching counterpart, the stage eventually tumbles. The tumbling motion prevents residual thrust from accumulating in a single direction. Instead, the stage's exhaust averages out to a much lower value over a wide range of
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325:, Pilkington Jr., William C.; McDonald, William S. & Wells, Willard H., "Satellite spin control", published 1962-04-17, assigned to
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flights, as the vehicles are spin stabilized through ascent and have minimal flight time for roll cancellation using the payload's attitude control system.
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Sometimes only a single weight and cable is used. Such an arrangement is colloquially named a "yo-weight." When the final stage is a
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to the weights to reduce the spin of the satellite to the desired value. Subsequently, the weights are often released.
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ISAS Proceedings of 14th
Workshop on Astrodynamics and Flight Mechanics 2004: A Collection of Technical Papers
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problem on orbital missions, but this is not a problem when used on the upper stages of
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In March 2009, a leftover yo-weight caused a scare when it came too close to the
346:"Separation motion analysis of sounding rockets using unbalanced YoYo mechanism"
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Device used to reduce the spin of satellites, typically soon after launch
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A Method of
Accurately Reducing the Spin Rate of a Rotating Spacecraft
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Theory and Design Curves for a Yo-Yo De-Spin
Mechanism for Satellites
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Analytical Theory of the
Stretch Yo-Yo for De-Spin of Satellites
129:, as the cables and weights are also on an escape trajectory.
235:"Space debris mitigation: the case for a code of conduct"
409:"Space station crew has close call with space junk"
104:Yo-yo de-spin was invented, built, and tested at
56:mechanism is a device used to reduce the spin of
279:Scott R. Starin and John Eterno (January 2011).
75:De-spin is needed since some final stages are
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281:"Attitude Determination and Control Systems"
198:, NASA Technical Note D- 1420, October 1962.
298:"General Description of Sounding Rockets"
262:Juno II Summary Project Report, Volume II
216:, NASA Technical Note D-708, August 1961.
207:, NASA Technical Note D-1676, April 1963.
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94:As an example of yo-yo de-spin, on the
268:(Technical report). NASA. 1962. D-608.
241:. European Space Agency. 15 April 2005
40:spacecraft. The stage is successively
371:utilized for the collision avoidance.
115:Yo-yo hardware can contribute to the
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327:Secretary of the United States Army
300:. Johns Hopkins. 21 February 2013.
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415:. March 12, 2009. Archived from
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344:Ishii, Nobuaki (March 2005).
173:Attitude dynamics and control
161:International Space Station
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110:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
68:. This transfers enough
178:Momentum exchange tether
194:Cornille, H. J., Jr.,
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442:Spacecraft components
437:Spacecraft propulsion
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383:Krebs, Gunter Dirk.
32:Animation showing a
389:Gunter's Space Page
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447:Spacecraft design
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392:. Retrieved
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243:. Retrieved
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183:Space debris
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121:earth escape
117:space debris
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352:: 105–109.
245:14 November
431:Categories
394:2024-06-28
323:US 3030049
221:References
143:outgassing
99:spacecraft
58:satellites
413:USA Today
366:125586338
358:0918-8053
153:Lambda 4S
133:Yo-weight
66:spin axis
44:, fired,
36:with the
385:"Ohsumi"
167:See also
286:. NASA.
106:Caltech
85:Star 48
81:Pioneer
38:Phoenix
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148:Ohsumi
362:S2CID
284:(PDF)
266:(PDF)
62:yo-yo
34:PAM-D
354:ISSN
247:2014
126:Dawn
97:Dawn
42:spun
239:ESA
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