stackyFACTSUsing thrusters to rotate a satellite requires heavy fuel, so engineers figured out a way to just grab onto the planet's magnetic field instead.
Using thrusters to rotate a satellite requires heavy fuel, so engineers figured out a way to just grab onto the planet's magnetic field instead. Magnetorquers are basically giant electromagnets installed inside the craft. By running a current through the coils, they create a magnetic field that physically pushes and pulls against the Earth's natural magnetosphere, slowly twisting the massive satellite into the correct orientation using invisible planetary leverage.
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