The spacecraft shown is symmetrical about its z-axis and has a radius of gyration of 720 mm about this axis. The radii of gyration about the x- and y-axes through the mass center are both equal to 540 mm. When moving in space, the z-axis is observed to generate a cone with a total vertex angle of 4° as it processes about the axis of total angular momentum. If the spacecraft has a spin velocity Φ˙ about its z-axis of 1.5 rad/s, compute the period τ of each full precession. Is the spin vector in the positive or negative z-direction?

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