Review of Deployment Mechanisms for Space Structures

Growing the number of satellites ready to be launched emphasizes the need for reduction of space hardware and subsystems cost, volume, and mass. Realizing these reductions can be implemented deploying new mechanisms for space structures. The performance benefit margin of deploying structures increases, as the size of the structure increases. Thus, it makes the technology more attractive for large-scale space systems. Examples of satellite components benefiingt from the utilization of inflatable structures including solar arrays, gravity gradient booms, communication antennas and solar sails. This paper discusses different types of deploying mechanism with their advantageous and disadvantageous focusing on solar arrays and required driven equipments after being placed in an operational orbit.