In some aspects, the UE 120 includes means for receiving information configuring a target cell monitoring window in an NTN; means for detecting one or more events that trigger a random access channel (RACH) procedure in a target cell in the NTN; means for monitoring a control channel from the target cell for a control signal that includes an indication to initiate the RACH procedure in the target cell, wherein the control channel is monitored based at least in part on detecting the one or more events that trigger the RACH procedure in the target cell; and/or means for transmitting a random access message that includes a preamble to initiate the RACH procedure in the target cell, wherein the random access message is transmitted at a time that is based at least in part on a status associated with the control signal. The means for the UE 120 to perform operations described herein may include, for example, one or more of communication manager 140, antenna 252, modem 254, MIMO detector 256, receive processor 258, transmit processor 264, TX MIMO processor 266, controller/processor 280, or memory 282.
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