RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazil and Argentina have signed an agreement to develop a satellite in partnership for the first time, Brazil's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

According to the ministry, the main aims of the satellite mission will be to provide global information on "optical properties" of the oceans, which could be applied to oceanography and climatology, and to monitor natural resources, especially concerning mining activities and environmental protection.

The agreement was signed in a meeting between Brazilian Space Agency and Argentina's National Space Activities Committee, the ministry said.

Brazil's government stressed that the technology to be used in the project will contribute to the "technological independence" of the two countries when it comes to space quality sensors, whose purchase is "liable to restrictions" in the international market.