1in the early days of space flight it was important to put a satellite into orbit with spin, but then to remove the spin once it got there. without fancy propulsions systems, the following idea worked rather well: two cables with attached masses were placed on either side of the satellite. the cables were wound around the satellite and the weights initially secured. on a signal, the weights would be released so as to unwind (as the satellite spins) until the ends of the cables unhook and each weight flies away into space (with its unhooked cable behind it). why did it work and how?