Transmodulation for a multi-beam satellite communication system

A forward-link satellite transmodulation system comprising:

• a gateway system, comprising:
• a forward feeder link creator that:
• receives a first data stream for a first forward link signal and a second data stream for a second forward link signal;
• and
• modulates the first data stream and the second data stream into a higher-order modulation forward feeder link having a higher-order digital modulation scheme;
• and
• a transmitter that transmits the higher-order modulation forward feeder link to a satellite;
• and
• the satellite, comprising:
• a receiver that receives the higher-order modulation forward feeder link;
• a demodulator that demodulates the higher-order modulator forward feeder link into a raw bit stream;
• a bit slicer component that separates the raw bit stream into a first bit stream and a second bit stream;
• and
• a modulator that modulates the first bit stream into a first user equipment (UE) forward link having a first lower-order digital modulation scheme and the second bit stream into a second UE forward link having a second lower-order digital modulation scheme, wherein:
• the higher-order digital modulation scheme comprises higher order modulation than the first lower-order digital modulation scheme and the second lower-order digital modulation scheme.