> Intermittence is mostly a consequence of using orbiters as communication relays to reach a planet’s surface. Orbiters go around the planet and are only able to communicate with peers they can “see”.

As I understand, this type of intermittence will mostly be a solved problem by the time there are only a few relay satellites around a planet. I think the moon may already have enough for full coverage. (It does not have to be a full-on starlink-like network, Musk is a bit delusional about this)

Still interesting and potentially useful to design around it regardless.