An electro-optical payload for free space optical communication comprising: a plurality of optical beam expanders, each for receiving an optical signal of a plurality of incoming optical signals; an optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) coupled to the plurality of optical beam expanders for directing each of the plurality of incoming optical signals to an optical output signal, respectively; a first electrical-to-optical conversion circuit (317; 402) coupled to a first input of the optical cross-connect switch for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal for inputting to the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401); a first optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (322; 403) coupled to a first output of the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) for converting an optical signal output from the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) to an electrical signal; and a second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (322; 413) coupled to a second output of the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401); an electrical regeneration circuit coupled to the second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit for performing regeneration on the electrical signal output from the second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit and output a regenerated electrical signal, and a second electrical-to-optical conversion circuit (317; 412) coupled to the electrical regeneration circuit for converting the regenerated electrical signal to an optical signal to be input to the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401), wherein some of the output optical signals from the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) are input to a respective one of the plurality of optical beam expanders for transmission to one or more destinations, as outgoing optical signals. a plurality of optical beam expanders, each for receiving an optical signal of a plurality of incoming optical signals; an optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) coupled to the plurality of optical beam expanders for directing each of the plurality of incoming optical signals to an optical output signal, respectively; a first electrical-to-optical conversion circuit (317; 402) coupled to a first input of the optical cross-connect switch for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal for inputting to the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401); a first optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (322; 403) coupled to a first output of the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) for converting an optical signal output from the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401) to an electrical signal; and a second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit (322; 413) coupled to a second output of the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401); an electrical regeneration circuit coupled to the second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit for performing regeneration on the electrical signal output from the second optical-to-electrical conversion circuit and output a regenerated electrical signal, and a second electrical-to-optical conversion circuit (317; 412) coupled to the electrical regeneration circuit for converting the regenerated electrical signal to an optical signal to be input to the optical cross-connect switch (308; 401),