Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may establish a communication session with a network via a non-terrestrial network (NTN) entity. The UE may receive control signaling identifying one or more measurement trigger criteria for measurements of NTN cells. The UE may receive a reference signal from one or more of the NTN cells. The UE may transmit a message that indicates a measurement of the reference signal associated with at least one of the NTN cells. The UE may perform the measurement of the reference signal in response to one or both of a change in received power associated with the NTN entity satisfying a signal power threshold or at least one of the measurement trigger criteria being satisfied. The described techniques may enable the UE to perform NTN cell measurements with greater efficiency and reduced power consumption, among other benefits.