A communications system may include user equipment (UE) device, satellites, and a gateway. The UE and gateway may perform implicit handover in which the UE and gateway independently identify the same serving satellite using ephemeris data, without additional signaling overhead. The UE may also characterize its channel conditions. When insufficient, the UE may transmit an explicit handover message to the gateway via a different satellite visible to the UE. The explicit handover message may include a satellite identifier and a lock bit. The gateway may use the satellite identifier to convey wireless data with the UE via the different satellite during the next cycle. The gateway may use the lock bit to know how to perform handover away from the different cycle during subsequent cycles. In this way, the UE may direct handover, given that the gateway has no knowledge of the channel condition at the UE.