2024/11/14 by Yusuke Kawamura, Takaaki Tanaka, Kawamura, Y. +1
Engineering · #Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP) #FOS: Physical sciences #Inertial Sensor and Navigation #Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics (astro-ph.IM) #Space Satellite Systems and Control #Spacecraft Design and Technology
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2411.09247
openalex publication_date 2024/11/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Spontaneous rotation of an ultra-small satellite was observed and its driving torque was explained by the thermal interaction between the air molecules and the surfaces of the satellite heated by the radiation from the earth. This mechanism has the similarity with a usual radiometer, except the point that the velocity of the satellite is sufficiently faster than that of the thermal velocity of the air molecules, and that the mean free path of the air molecules is sufficiently longer than the characteristic length of the satellite. Using dimension analysis, the torque was found to be significant to a small size of satellite. This rotation mechanism can be applied to any small objects, which are revolting around a planet radiating a black body radiation and has the atmospheric gas.