Federal Space Agency plans to purchase six special-purpose aircraft by 2018, RBC reports.

It was stated by the head of department of strategic planning and target programs of the Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Yuri Makarov, at the meeting of the expert council on aerospace industry of the State Duma’s Committee on production sector.

"The aircraft will be leased", - Yuri Makarov added.

He also said that the aircraft will be transporting cosmonauts to Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes.

The purchase of these liners is necessary because all the aircraft currently operated by Roscosmos will be put out of operation by 2018.