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Mechanical ground support equipment plays a crucial role in the assembly, integration and testing process of small satellites. Existing equipment for 150 to 500 kg satellites is limited, especially in the realm of deployable solar arrays and thermal vacuum testing. Three types of support equipment are studied in this thesis: solar cell covers, a solar array restraining device and a thermal vacuum testing rig. The solar cell covers developed in this study allow adequate protection of the delicate solar cells on a spacecraft while facilitating the assembly, integration and functional testing of its solar arrays. These arrays are restrained by a developed mechanical device to avoid accidental deployments by absorbing the released potential energy. This thesis also outlines the development of a system for supporting a range of small satellites inside a thermal vacuum chamber for environmental testing. The role of each piece of equipment in the assembly, integration and testing process is defined and requirements are formulated to guide their development. Compliance of the requirements is achieved through effective design, analysis and/or representative tests, certifying the use of this equipment for flight spacecraft.