Random other idea: just put your entire payload inside a spherical fairing and launch the whole ball into space. Once past atmosphere, eject the fairing and stretch out. Like a dancer extending their arms, this itself will slow your rotation down. Then fire RCS thrusters anti-rotationally or use a reaction wheel (can we pre-load the reaction wheel with oppositional angular momentum before launch?) until you're steady.

Bonus: can you use the rotation of the ball to help guide you, curveball-style, into the direction of orbit?