Satellite communications tunneling protocol for a space mesh network

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by a first satellite, a radio-frequency communication from a user equipment via a satellite service link, wherein the radio-frequency communication is directed to terminate at a terrestrial base station;
• encapsulating, by the first satellite, the radio-frequency communication with a packet header to produce an encapsulated communication, wherein the packet header corresponds to a first protocol, and wherein the radio-frequency communication corresponds to an internet protocol frame payload;
• and
• transmitting, by the first satellite, the encapsulated communication to a second satellite via an inter-satellite link, wherein the inter-satellite link comprises a communication mode, and wherein the second satellite is configured to transmit the radio-frequency communication to the terrestrial base station or to transmit the encapsulated communication to a third satellite.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising at least one processor to perform operations, comprising:

• receiving a radio-frequency communication from a user equipment on a satellite service link, wherein the radio-frequency communication is directed to terminate at a terrestrial base station;
• encapsulating the radio-frequency communication with a packet header to produce an encapsulated communication, wherein the packet header corresponds to a first protocol and wherein the radio-frequency communication corresponds to a packet payload;
• and
• transmitting the encapsulated communication to a first satellite via an inter-satellite link, wherein the inter-satellite link comprises a communication mode, and wherein the first satellite is configured to transmit the radio-frequency communication to the terrestrial base station or to transmit the encapsulated communication to a second satellite.