US Patent 11888519 Optical communication satellite cross-connect

Provided herein are various enhanced systems, apparatuses, and techniques for optical communication among a constellation of satellites. One example includes establishing an initial cross-connect configuration comprising optical communication links among a constellation of satellites. In the initial cross-connect configuration, the satellites can optically communicate with both adjacently positioned and non-adjacently positioned satellites in the constellation. The satellites obtain angular states of the optical communication links resultant from orbital motion of the satellites. When angular states of a portion of the optical communication links reach an exclusion range, the satellites establish a subsequent cross-connect configuration to avoid optically communicating within the exclusion range.