MOSCOW, March 7 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will build a group of new Soyuz carrier rockets, the head of the country's space agency said Tuesday.

Anatoly Perminov said: "We will start construction this year, and have invited partners in the International Space Station to take part in the project. By the end of the year a decision on this issue should be reached by NASA."

NASA is expected to contribute financially to the project.

Perminov said that creating a new group of Soyuz rockets was necessary to achieve the proposed increase in the number of astronauts working on the ISS from three to six by 2009. The additional carrier rockets will also be needed as rescue vehicles.