1. (a) The authority shall have the following duties:

   1. (1) Encourage the education and training of aerospace professionals to pioneer the frontier of space and to develop new methods and technologies for the exploration of space.
   2. (2) Promote new space exploration, space tourism, and spaceport technologies across a wide spectrum of corporate, academic, public, and private innovation infrastructures.
   3. (3) Sponsor aerospace conferences and business roundtables to enable networking among key aerospace leaders and public officials.
   4. (4) Encourage the leveraging of venture capital and seed public-private partnerships to promote entrepreneurship and expand space enterprise.
   5. (5) Propose business initiatives, tax credits, small business incubator programs, and other initiatives to stimulate economic development and innovation within the aerospace, space systems, and defense communities.
   6. (6) Encourage the development of Alabama’s defense industry.
   7. (7) Encourage space research and education centers to support these programs and facilitate technology transfer.
   8. (8) Work with the Department of Tourism, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission, and other public agencies to communicate the multiple scientific, educational, and commercial benefits of space exploration and the legacy of Alabama’s contributions to America’s space program to the public and to promote space tourism and training.
   9. (9) Develop strategies to promote and encourage private investments in furtherance of this article.
   10. (10) Perform any other actions necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and to exercise its powers pursuant to this article to the extent permitted by law.
2. (b) The authority shall establish operating procedures for conducting its affairs in execution of the duties and responsibilities stated in this article. The operating procedures shall include appropriate operational guidelines. The authority may establish committees to conduct the work of the authority and the committees may include nonmembers as deemed appropriate by the authority.

(Act 2017-403, §4; Act 2026-324, §1.)