Abstract: An apparatus comprising a backplane and a number of transponder slices connected to the backplane to form a transponder. The number of transponder slices comprise an analog front end configured to receive an analog input comprising a first plurality of bandwidths and a first plurality of interface frequencies, analog to digital converters configured to convert the analog input to digital signals, a digital channelizer configured to process the digital signals to generate a plurality of frequency slices, a digital combiner configured to assemble the plurality of frequency slices to form output sub-bands, a digital switch configured to route the plurality of frequency slices from the digital channelizer to the digital combiner, digital to analog converters configured to convert the output sub-bands to an analog output, and an analog back end configured to transmit the analog output comprising a second plurality of bandwidths and a second plurality of interface frequencies.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a signal is present. Information is carried in a frequency hopping signal. The frequency hopping signal is sent to a gateway in a communications network through a satellite. The frequency hopping signal is unprocessed by the satellite to identify the information in the frequency hopping signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a signal. The signal is received in a receiver system in a satellite. The signal has a range of frequencies in which information is carried in a number of channels having a number of frequencies within the range of frequencies. The number of frequencies for a channel in the number of channels changes within the range of frequencies over time. The signal is transmitted using a transmitter system in the satellite. The signal is unprocessed to identify the number of frequencies for the channel used to carry the information by the satellite.