Backward compatible physical layer and signaling for satellite communication

A system for a gateway to communicate with a legacy terminal supporting a legacy air interface and a new terminal supporting a next generation air interface, the system comprising:

• the gateway to assign a same carrier to the legacy terminal and the new terminal;
• a MAC/RLC (Media Access Layer/Radio Link Control) layer
• to receive a terminal identifier and an optional payload for transmission,
• to determine if the terminal identifier is associated with the legacy terminal or the new terminal, and
• to compose a burst header based on the association;
• a burst formatter to format a burst comprising the burst header and the optional payload;
• and
• a transmitter to transmit the burst on the same carrier, wherein
• the legacy air interface defines one or more valid burst headers and one or more undefined burst headers,
• the burst header is set, by the burst formatter, to one of the one or more valid burst headers when the burst is associated with the legacy terminal, and
• the burst header is set, by the burst formatter, to one of the one or more undefined burst headers when the burst is associated with the new terminal.