A compact harmonic drive system with a motor residing within the flexspline cup. The motor may reside further into the flexspline cup than the wave generator, and the air gap of the motor may be further out radially than the interior of the wave generator bearing. The motor may use an outrunner configuration with an outboard rotor made up of magnets, allowing for a large radial distance to the air gap and resulting in higher torque. The interior stator windings are thermally well coupled to the drive system structure. The harmonic drive may be coupled to a deployment system adapted to support moment loads perpendicular to the rotation axis such that those loads are not supported by the harmonic drive.