# Statsionar
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{{Short description|System of soviet communication satellites}}
The '''Statsionar''' [satellite system](/source/Satellite_radio_system) was a system of Soviet communications satellites similar to the American [Intelsat](/source/Intelsat_35e) [military communications](/source/military_communications) system. The system was mainly made up of Gorizont II class satellites.
The number of satellites planned and launched is a subject of debate. According to the [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency), 11 satellites were planned, but other sources have quoted 10 and 7 satellites. The system was never top secret, and the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) voluntarily released information about the system.
According to declassified [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency) documents, the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) launched the first satellite, [Statsionar 1](/source/Statsionar_1) in 1975, 5 years behind schedule, and planned to deploy the last satellite in the Statsionar system in 1980. The [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency) studied the system, and concluded that Statsionar was not being created as a counter to the [Intelsat](/source/Intelsat) system, and would not have any effect on American satellite communications. The [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency) also concluded that Statsionar was behind the capabilities of [Intelsat](/source/Intelsat) by at least 5 years, and that the system would have trouble meeting even its own, comparatively low operation standards.
Statsionar was used to send commands from Soviet leadership to [field units](/source/Soviet_Field_units).[{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000283805.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122230544/https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/DOC_0000283805.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2017|title=Stationar Declassified Report|website=CIA Official Website|access-date=June 13, 2019}}] However, the main purpose of Statsionar was to broadcast [television channels](/source/Television_channel) and for other non-military purposes. The [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union) first made plans for the Statsionar program in 1969.[{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_azf94TByF8C&q=statsionar&pg=PA219|title=Communication Satellites|last=Martin|first=Donald H.|date=2000|publisher=AIAA|isbn=9781884989094|language=en}}]
[Intersputnik](/source/Intersputnik), the Soviet equivalent to [Intelsat](/source/Intelsat) used Statsionar for some of its communications purposes, but after enough satellites in the Intersputnik system had been launched, Stationar was no longer used.
The [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency) reported that several non-communist countries, such as [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), had expressed interest in using Statsionar in their own [communications](/source/Communications_satellite).