Cable-driven rigid panel solar arrays are deployed and retracted by two or more continuous cables running over free-turning pulleys. Each cable is connected to a motorized drum, and synchronization between the panels is maintained by a series of cable loops. Experiments on a small-scale model array show that the distribution of forces in the elements of the array varies during deployment and retraction because of an interaction between geometry change effects and joint friction. A quasistatic analytical model of the deployment/retraction process is presented, which is able to predict the main features of the behavior observed in the experiments. The interaction forces between the model array and the gravity compensation system are measured during the tests and are also included in the simulation.