Abstract: The invention is a system for transmitting data packets from a ground based sending terminal to a receiving ground based terminal via a satellite, In detail, the system includes each terminal having a processor for generating data packets for transmission to the satellite incorporating the downlink encoding requirements for both the sending and receiving terminal. A transmitter is included for transmitting the data packets to the satellite. A receiver means is incorporated for receiving downlinked data packets from the satellite. The satellite includes a receiver for receiving the uplinked data packets from the sending terminal. The satellite further includes a processor to determine the downlink encoding requirements of the uplinked data packets from the sending terminal. A transmitter is incorporated into the satellite for transmitting the data packets to the receiving terminal at receiving party's coding rates.