Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying software payloads in satellite systems. In one example, a satellite device comprises a communication interface configured to receive software payloads for execution, and an execution system configured to execute ones of the software payloads as associated virtual nodes that share resources of the satellite device to at least perform activities using one or more on-board systems of the satellite device. The execution system is configured to transfer state information related to execution of ones of the virtual nodes to at least another device over the communication interface, wherein the state information comprises data related to the activities.