My understanding of Gravity Gradient is that a small spacecraft with a long boom and tip mass will align in an UP/Down attitude. But it is bi-stable so either end can be up and be stable.
What about a small satellite with TWO booms (dipole wires) in opposite directions with small tip masses, it will be just as stable as before but I may even get by with half the mass on each end. More or less. When I mean “stable” I mean roughly up down, anything within +/- 40 degrees is still a vertical HF antenna…. Besides faraday rotation will rotate the received pattern every whichaway anyway.
I disagree with an opinion I have received that says “gravity gradient” wont work with dual opposite end tip masses. Says one has to be bigger and it cannot be in the middle. I disagree.
Any professionals have an opinion?
Bob, Wb4aPR