Hierarchical handover signaling

A wireless device, comprising:

• radio frequency (RF) circuitry;
• and
• one or more processors coupled to the RF circuit and executing instructions to:
• receive, from a first artificial satellite, first data indicating a state of network traffic of a first set of communication channels between the first artificial satellite and each of a set of user terminals (UTs) at a first time, prior to an event, wherein the first data further indicates a data buffer depth of corresponding data uplinks between the first artificial satellite and each of the set of UTs at the first time;
• determine second data indicating a second time, after the first time, wherein the second time corresponds to the event, wherein:
• the first artificial satellite is configured to exchange first data packets with a first UT of the set of UTs prior to the event;
• and
• a second artificial satellite is configured to exchange second data packets with the first UT of the set of UTs subsequent to the event;
• and
• send, to the second artificial satellite, third data indicating the first data and the second data, wherein the third data comprises instructions that cause the second artificial satellite to allocate, based on the state of network traffic, a second set of communication channels between the second artificial satellite and each of the set of UTs at a third time, subsequent to the second time.