Solar simulator as an important test equipment is widely used in the fields of aerospace and solar energy. This paper briefly introduces the structural composition and working principle of traditional solar simulators, and then discusses the advantages, disadvantages and existing value. It also analyzes the new typical solar simulator systems and operation forms, such as LED solar simulator, multiple-source solar simulator, uniform light bar solar simulator, integral sphere solar simulator, optical fiber transmission solar simulator and moving solar simulator and so on. Finally, the characteristics of the solar simulators mentioned above and the development in future are summarized.