Previous results on packet communications via a processing satellite withnslotted ALOHA uplinks andmTDM downlinks are extended to include a buffer in the switching node. Throughput and delay at equilibrium are obtained, and an alternative derivation for the expected number of retrials for any packet is also given. It is demonstrated through examples that on‐board storage provides results equivalent to multiple uplinks in obtaining gains in throughput, efficiency, and margin against instability. The analysis of system performance with respect to the number of uplinks, the number of downlinks, and the size of the on‐board storage is now complete.