The definition of a cost effective deployment mechanism to deploy 180° panel like appendages in a safe way and with minimum end stroke deployment shock has been a challenge that led the design to achieve a low cost, light, compact, simple, flexible, modular, and low power demanding configuration. This mechanism is composed of an active hinge, that includes an optimised helical torsion spring with a deployment regulator in parallel, and a passive hinge, that includes the end stop and the monitorisation. The main functions of the mechanisms are decoupled in order to make the mechanism as flexible as possible to be adapted to very different needs such as different deployment torque, deployment angle, stiffness, interfaces, monitorisation, etc. The deployment mechanism is provided with a very compact novel deployment regulator based on the progressive melting of a band made of a low melting temperature metal alloy, that is cylindrically disposed. The deployment mechanism has been subject to a qualification test campaign including an extensive characterisation of the deployment regulator.