Free space optical communications network with multiplexed bent pipe channels

A node for a free space optical communications relay network, the node comprising:

• first and second optical apertures;
• and
• optical circuitry for providing an optical path between the first and second apertures, the optical circuitry including an optical add-drop multiplexer for adding uplinked bent pipe channels having specific wavelengths to the optical path, and dropping bent pipe channels having specific wavelengths from the optical path.

A method for a relay node in a free space optical communications relay network, the method comprising forming an optical path between near neighbors, the optical path including a plurality of wavelength-dependent optical bent pipe channels that are wavelength-multiplexed;

• wherein bent pipe channels of a first subset of the bent pipe channels are dropped from the optical path according to wavelength and downlinked, and wherein a second subset of the bent pipe channels having different wavelengths is received via uplink and added to the optical path.