complexity to collapse the spreaders. For the links, a large portion of the cross section is open, allowing integration of cable bundles as required. In Table 1, the TALISMAN prototype shown in Figure 3 is compared to the SRMS. In this example, the  TALISMAN has been sized for the SRMS tip force and stiffness requirements; 53.4 N (12 lbf) at the tip  and 17.5 N/cm (10 lbf/in) deflection constraint (Ref. 2). Although the SRMS is a flight system and the TALISMAN is a laboratory prototype that have different levels of design fidelity, major advantages of the TALISMAN architecture are apparent. The TALISMAN prototype has not been optimized and isconstructed from readily available rectangular tubes to allow inexpensive development, with the focus being on implementing and obtaining experience with the unique cable actuated joint. Currently, a single  joint/two-link test bed has been fabricated using 7.62 x 15.2 cm (3 x 6 inch) rectangular aluminum tubes  with a 6-mm (0.25-inch) wall thickness for the links. For the version summarized in Table 1, the links and  spreaders are assumed to have the same geometry as the test bed, but are constructed from a polymeric  composite material that has a Young’s modulus of 138 GPa (20x10 6psi); the joint mass is based on the as-built hardware that was designed and fabricated from aluminum and installed into the laboratory  prototype and has a mass of 0.54 kg (1.2 lb); and the spreader is assumed to be a polymeric composite  tube with its height fixed at 1 m (39.4 in). As shown in the table, the TALISMAN system mass is an order  of magnitude less than that of the SRMS, with the link system mass (including the links, spreaders and  cables) being significantly less than that of the SRMS tubes. When packaged for launch, the TALISMAN occupies only 1/7thof the SRMS volume. For comparison, at the bottom of Figure 3, the packaged  TALISMAN is shown in two views packaged inside one of the two SRMS links (depicted as folded side by  side for this image), where the SRMS links are each 0.381 m (15 in) in diameter and 7.65-m (25-feet)  long. In the end view on the lower right, a dashed line is included showing the 0.33-m (13-in) diameter of  the SRMS composite tubes. The SRMS composite tubes are thin walled and are encased in a protective bumper resulting in the 0.381-m (15-in) diameter shown. In contrast, the TALSMAN truss uses solid members, and does not require a protective covering. Finally, based on parametric motor sizing equations, the TALISMAN is expected to use significantly less power because less torque is required at the motors resulting in smaller lighter motors (Ref 5).  A limitation of the TALISMAN design used for the prototype configuration is that it is a planar system,  having significantly more stiffness in the plane of articulation than out of that plane. If required, out-ofplane stiffness can be increased by adding passive tension elements or by increasing the depth of thetruss cross-section perpendicular to the plane of actuation. Another limitation of the prototype is that the TALISMAN motors included in the comparison are not redundant as are the SRMS motors. Also, the  TALISMAN does not include a wrist with roll, pitch and yaw capability or a snare end-effector as the  SRMS does. However, the TALISMAN design does assume all joints have full articulation capability, but if  this is not required, a much simpler and lighter deployment hinge and lock can be used.  A Novel Joint Enabling Full 360-Degree Rotation Joint range of motion directly affects the ability of a manipulator to reach locations, i.e. the useable  manipulator workspace. Here a novel joint will be described that provides a full 360-degree rotation, while simultaneously supporting free rotation of a third member, the spreader, about the active joint rotation axis. The mechanism of interest is the center of a tension articulated joint that is shown in the top left of  Figure 4. In the close up view of the joint shown on the top right of the figure, the yellow and purple components (on the left and right of the hinge) are the link plugs used to attach the joint to the links  408