[mapt]

My impression is that friction is negligible once firmly in LEO. Orientation of a sub-component surface definitely matters, as does Earth's presence in half of the viewshed. But my point is that surface finish also makes a big deal, and paint is not necessarily a bad thing, because of the emissivity increases.

(Though I'd rather anodize the thing black imperfectly if it helps avoid paint flecks becoming orbital debris)