Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education Manuel Heitor has said he will look for partners in China and India for the Portuguese space programme, Exame Informática reports.

The website quotes Mr Heitor as saying the space programme envisages the establishment in the Azores of a space centre and an international centre for research on the Atlantic Ocean.

“We are trying to create a platform for people to know Portugal wants to do business in space,” Mr Heitor said, “to create a new space access infrastructure, while creating new markets and data sources.”

The minister means to have legislation on matters to do with space ready for government scrutiny by June 30.