A satellite comprising: an optical receiver having a plurality of radio frequency "RF" outputs, the optical receiver configured to receive a composite optical signal comprising a plurality of beam weighted beam element signals, each RF output corresponding to a respective one of the beam weighted beam element signals, the optical receiver comprising: an optical demultiplexer having an input and a plurality of outputs, each output associated with a corresponding optical wavelength; and a plurality of satellite receiver optical detectors each having an RF output coupled to a corresponding RF output of the optical receiver, wherein the satellite receiver optical detectors are configured such that each RF signal output from the satellite receiver optical detectors has an amplitude that tracks the intensity of a corresponding optical signal applied to a corresponding satellite receiver optical detector input from a corresponding output of the optical demultiplexer; a plurality of low noise amplifiers "LNA", each having an LNA input and an LNA output, each LNA input coupled to a corresponding one of the optical receiver RF outputs; a plurality of power amplifiers "PA", each having a PA input and a PA output, each PA input coupled to a corresponding one of the LNA outputs, each PA output configured to output a respective forward downlink beam element signal corresponding to a respective one of the beam weighted beam element signals; and an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element having an antenna input coupled to a corresponding one of the PA outputs, wherein antenna patterns of at least some of the antenna elements overlap such that the forward downlink beam element signals transmitted therefrom will be superposed upon one another and thus coherently combine to form a user spot beam. an optical receiver having a plurality of radio frequency "RF" outputs, the optical receiver configured to receive a composite optical signal comprising a plurality of beam weighted beam element signals, each RF output corresponding to a respective one of the beam weighted beam element signals, the optical receiver comprising: an optical demultiplexer having an input and a plurality of outputs, each output associated with a corresponding optical wavelength; and a plurality of satellite receiver optical detectors each having an RF output coupled to a corresponding RF output of the optical receiver, wherein the satellite receiver optical detectors are configured such that each RF signal output from the satellite receiver optical detectors has an amplitude that tracks the intensity of a corresponding optical signal applied to a corresponding satellite receiver optical detector input from a corresponding output of the optical demultiplexer; an optical demultiplexer having an input and a plurality of outputs, each output associated with a corresponding optical wavelength; and a plurality of satellite receiver optical detectors each having an RF output coupled to a corresponding RF output of the optical receiver, wherein the satellite receiver optical detectors are configured such that each RF signal output from the satellite receiver optical detectors has an amplitude that tracks the intensity of a corresponding optical signal applied to a corresponding satellite receiver optical detector input from a corresponding output of the optical demultiplexer; a plurality of low noise amplifiers "LNA", each having an LNA input and an LNA output, each LNA input coupled to a corresponding one of the optical receiver RF outputs; a plurality of power amplifiers "PA", each having a PA input and a PA output, each PA input coupled to a corresponding one of the LNA outputs, each PA output configured to output a respective forward downlink beam element signal corresponding to a respective one of the beam weighted beam element signals; and an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements, each antenna element having an antenna input coupled to a corresponding one of the PA outputs, wherein antenna patterns of at least some of the antenna elements overlap such that the forward downlink beam element signals transmitted therefrom will be superposed upon one another and thus coherently combine to form a user spot beam.