The Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft carrying three astronauts from the United States, Germany and Russia blasts off to the International Space Station (ISS) from the launchpad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan June 6, 2018. (REUTERS PHOTO)

MOSCOW, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Russia aims to regain its leading position in the exploration of outer space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

"We must restore and firmly keep our competence and leadership in (spacecraft) launches," Putin said during his annual televised "Direct Line" Q&A session.

He said that Russia had a unique experience in space exploration, as its predecessor, the Soviet Union, was the first country to launch an artificial satellite and send the first man into space.

But currently there is sharp competition from other countries, including the United States, Putin said.

Russia has its own "big and ambitious" plans, which include launching more than 600 communication satellites in the next few years, he said.

Putin said the quality of communication through these satellites will be so good that cable connections can be replaced, which "could lead to a revolution in the sphere of communication."

As for the exploration of more distant space, Putin said that Russia plans to test a new super-heavy rocket in an unmanned mode in 2022 and launch it with astronauts on board in 2024.

He said that Russia has heavily invested in building a new cosmodrome in the east of the country. "We will develop it precisely as a civilian component of our space activities," Putin added.