Mexican politicians approved the creation of a space agency that will seek to bolster research and raise Mexico's scientific profile.

The lower house of Mexico's Congress voted to support the agency, which was endorsed by the Senate in 2008.

The proposal will now go to President Felipe Calderon for final approval.

Politicians said in a statement that if approved by Mr Calderon, the agency will have to convoke Mexican and foreign space experts to draft its space policy.

Nasa astronaut Jose Hernandez volunteered to help start Mexico's first space agency. Mr Hernandez is the US-born son of Mexican migrant farm workers.

Mexico's only astronaut, Rodolfo Neri Vela, was the first Mexican citizen to make it to space, flying aboard the shuttle Atlantis in 1985.