Russia may decide to create a state corporation for the rocket and space industry next year, a deputy prime minister said on Tuesday.

Sergei Ivanov said that "all relevant departments have been instructed to develop this issue and present their well-considered proposals in 2009."

Russian Space Agency head Anatoly Perminov said in turn that establishing a state corporation would help to create conditions for the stable economic development of the space industry.

"We have worked out the option of creating a state corporation in the rocket and space industry, which would unite and coordinate scientific and production operations in design and development organizations and manufacturers of rocket and space technology," Perminov said.

The Russian government set up a number of state corporations last year to consolidate key assets in the shipbuilding, nuclear power, and aircraft manufacturing sectors.