Abstract: A user terminal for a satellite communication system is programmed to receive data specifying candidate satellites of a plurality of satellites as being available for links during a plurality of time slots. The user terminal is assigned to a ground network point-of-presence (PoP). The candidate satellites are scheduled to communicate with different ones of a plurality of gateway terminals during each time slot. The user terminal can, during a first time slot, transmit first data requests to one of the candidate satellites; detect a deviation from a communication quality threshold on a communication path between the phased array antenna and the ground network PoP; and in response to the detection, transmit second data requests to another candidate satellite. Additionally or alternatively, the user terminal can proactively avoid a communication interruption related to obstructed lines of sight of a phased array antenna of the user terminal by switching between candidate satellites.