A satellite communications system, comprising: a satellite configured for laser communications; and a communications relay aircraft adapted for flying at altitudes above clouds, the communications relay aircraft comprising: a laser communications module to communicate with the satellite using laser communication; a Radio Frequency communications module to communicate with RF equipment at or near ground level using cloud-penetrating RF communications; wherein the RF communications module is configured to take first data received as laser communication by the laser communications module and to generate a corresponding RF transmission containing the first data; and wherein the laser communications module is configured to take second data received as RF communication by the RF communications module and to generate a corresponding laser transmission containing the second data; characterised in that the communication system further comprises: a plurality of ground terminals at or near ground level, wherein a first ground terminal containing the RF equipment is configured to communicate with the communications relay aircraft using cloud-penetrating RF communications and configured to communicate with a second ground terminal by communication relayed through the communications relay aircraft and further relayed through the satellite; wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to communicate directly with the satellite using laser communication; and wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to select a communication path for communication between the first ground terminal and the satellite according to communication speeds. a satellite configured for laser communications; and a communications relay aircraft adapted for flying at altitudes above clouds, the communications relay aircraft comprising: a laser communications module to communicate with the satellite using laser communication; a Radio Frequency communications module to communicate with RF equipment at or near ground level using cloud-penetrating RF communications; wherein the RF communications module is configured to take first data received as laser communication by the laser communications module and to generate a corresponding RF transmission containing the first data; and wherein the laser communications module is configured to take second data received as RF communication by the RF communications module and to generate a corresponding laser transmission containing the second data; a laser communications module to communicate with the satellite using laser communication; a Radio Frequency communications module to communicate with RF equipment at or near ground level using cloud-penetrating RF communications; wherein the RF communications module is configured to take first data received as laser communication by the laser communications module and to generate a corresponding RF transmission containing the first data; and wherein the laser communications module is configured to take second data received as RF communication by the RF communications module and to generate a corresponding laser transmission containing the second data; characterised in that the communication system further comprises: a plurality of ground terminals at or near ground level, wherein a first ground terminal containing the RF equipment is configured to communicate with the communications relay aircraft using cloud-penetrating RF communications and configured to communicate with a second ground terminal by communication relayed through the communications relay aircraft and further relayed through the satellite; wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to communicate directly with the satellite using laser communication; and wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to select a communication path for communication between the first ground terminal and the satellite according to communication speeds. a plurality of ground terminals at or near ground level, wherein a first ground terminal containing the RF equipment is configured to communicate with the communications relay aircraft using cloud-penetrating RF communications and configured to communicate with a second ground terminal by communication relayed through the communications relay aircraft and further relayed through the satellite; wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to communicate directly with the satellite using laser communication; and wherein the first ground terminal is further configured to select a communication path for communication between the first ground terminal and the satellite according to communication speeds.