Inter-satellite links with improved resilience

A method performed by one or more processors, the method comprising:

• initiating, by a first satellite, a inter-satellite data transfer link with a second satellite, wherein the first satellite comprises multiple optical transmit apertures configured to be used concurrently to provide the inter-satellite data transfer link;
• positioning, by the first satellite, the optical transmit apertures with respect to the second satellite;
• performing, by the first satellite, synchronized transmission of a same data stream using each of the multiple optical transmit apertures;
• and
• adjusting, by the first satellite, positions of the optical transmit apertures based on indications of received signal quality from the second satellite.

One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are operable, when executed by one or more processors of a first satellite, to cause the first satellite to perform operations comprising:

• initiating, by the first satellite, a inter-satellite data transfer link with a second satellite, wherein the first satellite comprises multiple optical transmit apertures;
• positioning, by the first satellite, the optical transmit apertures with respect to the second satellite;
• performing, by the first satellite, synchronized transmission of a same data stream using each of the multiple optical transmit apertures;
• and
• adjusting, by the first satellite, positions of the optical transmit apertures based on indications of received signal quality from the second satellite.