Method for balancing demand between satellites in a telecommunications system

A method is provided for optimally assigning power load demands between satellites in a satellite constellation for a telecommunications system. The method first obtains a satellite coverage snapshot at the satellite operations center. It then identifies the satellites with overlapping coverage areas. The user clusters are then identified which are located in the overlapping coverage areas and initially assigned to one of the covering satellites which requires the least amount of power to communicate with the user clusters or randomly. The processor then balances clusters (or portions thereof) to other satellites so as to efficiently balance the power load on the satellite constellation system. The method repeats the process at regular time intervals to maintain an efficient power balance.