MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is close to signing a contract on the space flight of a Brazilian space tourist, a senior Russian Space Agency official told a news conference Wednesday.

Alexei Krasnov, the head of the agency's manned flight programs, said an announcement on the deal might be made soon, after several remaining issues were coordinated.

Nikolai Moiseyev, deputy head of the agency, did not state the cost of the project, but said it would be the same as previous flights.

"When assessing the cost of commercial or passenger, or foreign expert's [space] flights, we assume the equality of all candidates: everyone pays to compensate for Russia's expenses, since they are funded from the federal budget," he said, adding that the cost depended on the flight program.

Moiseyev said potential space tourists were window-shopping but not "lining up to the box office."

The Brazilian candidate has undergone training for space shuttle flights in the United States, he added.