A method of operation by a satellite communications system that includes a plurality of geographically distributed access nodes and includes a satellite having a plurality of forward signal paths (38, 500), the method comprising: transmitting to the satellite from the plurality of access nodes during each of two or more scheduling intervals, each access node transmitting a respective one among a plurality of forward uplink signals (28, 74), with each forward signal path relaying a respective superposition of the plurality of forward uplink signals as a corresponding forward downlink signal, and wherein superpositions of the plurality of forward downlink signals form a plurality of simultaneous forward beams in dependence on a beam weight matrix used to form the plurality of forward uplink signals, the beam weight matrix comprising end-to-end forward beam weights; and for each scheduling interval: determining forward signal path allocations with respect to non-overlapping first (14-1, 20-1) and second user coverage areas (14-2, 20-2), the forward signal path allocations allocating a non-zero first subset of the forward signal paths to the first user coverage area, and allocating a non-zero second subset of the forward signal paths to the second user coverage area; controlling connectivity for the plurality of forward signal paths according to the forward signal path allocations, with output ends of the first subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a first user link array (44-1, 86-1) that is configured for illuminating the first user coverage area, and with output ends of the second subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a second user link array (44-2, 86-2) that is configured for illuminating the second user coverage area; and computing the beam weight matrix for use during the scheduling interval based on end-to-end forward channels corresponding to the forward signal path allocations. transmitting to the satellite from the plurality of access nodes during each of two or more scheduling intervals, each access node transmitting a respective one among a plurality of forward uplink signals (28, 74), with each forward signal path relaying a respective superposition of the plurality of forward uplink signals as a corresponding forward downlink signal, and wherein superpositions of the plurality of forward downlink signals form a plurality of simultaneous forward beams in dependence on a beam weight matrix used to form the plurality of forward uplink signals, the beam weight matrix comprising end-to-end forward beam weights; and for each scheduling interval: determining forward signal path allocations with respect to non-overlapping first (14-1, 20-1) and second user coverage areas (14-2, 20-2), the forward signal path allocations allocating a non-zero first subset of the forward signal paths to the first user coverage area, and allocating a non-zero second subset of the forward signal paths to the second user coverage area; controlling connectivity for the plurality of forward signal paths according to the forward signal path allocations, with output ends of the first subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a first user link array (44-1, 86-1) that is configured for illuminating the first user coverage area, and with output ends of the second subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a second user link array (44-2, 86-2) that is configured for illuminating the second user coverage area; and computing the beam weight matrix for use during the scheduling interval based on end-to-end forward channels corresponding to the forward signal path allocations. determining forward signal path allocations with respect to non-overlapping first (14-1, 20-1) and second user coverage areas (14-2, 20-2), the forward signal path allocations allocating a non-zero first subset of the forward signal paths to the first user coverage area, and allocating a non-zero second subset of the forward signal paths to the second user coverage area; controlling connectivity for the plurality of forward signal paths according to the forward signal path allocations, with output ends of the first subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a first user link array (44-1, 86-1) that is configured for illuminating the first user coverage area, and with output ends of the second subset of the forward signal paths switched into connection with respective feeds of a second user link array (44-2, 86-2) that is configured for illuminating the second user coverage area; and computing the beam weight matrix for use during the scheduling interval based on end-to-end forward channels corresponding to the forward signal path allocations.