The loss of retrograde satellites in the solar system

In a previous paper it was shown that a retrograde satellite orbit is unstable under the influence of tidal friction. This paper discusses the postulate that retrograde satellites were more common in the solar system in the past but have since been destroyed because of this instability. It is found that a wide variety of possible retrograde orbits including moon-like orbits and objects would have been eliminated in solar system history. Further, the transfer of angular momentum from the destroyed satellite to the planet is an effective way of decelerating a prograde planet and could explain the present spin orbit resonance state in which Venus apparently is situated. Energy deposited within the planet could be large enough to profoundly affect the evolution of a planet.