There is hereby created and established a state agency to be known as the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, which shall be a public body corporate with all the powers and privileges of a corporation, for the purpose of providing for and participating in the management and control of facilities to house and display such visual exhibits of space exploration and hardware used therefor as may be made available by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Such facility shall constitute a permanent housing for the national aeronautics and space administration exhibit, which shall be open to the general public and shall be located at a place to be designated and made available in Madison County for a nominal cost through the cooperation of the Department of the Army or at such other locations as the commission may deem appropriate.

The commission is further empowered to provide such facilities as will be mutually agreed upon between the commission and Department of the Army for the housing and display of army weaponry and mementos of national defense.

The commission is further empowered to establish an energy information and exhibit center in order to provide information to the public on research and development in the field or energy as developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of the Army, the Energy Research and Development Administration, other federal and state agencies, including universities and colleges, and other public and private sectors engaged in energy related activities.

The commission is further empowered to construct or otherwise acquire, whether by purchase, construction, exchange, gift, lease or otherwise, lodging and other similar facilities, including parking facilities and facilities for meetings, (provided said items are constructed within one mile of the Alabama Space and Rocket Center), for use by visitors to the permanent exhibit of the commission and users of the commission’s visitors’ center. In connection therewith, the commission may acquire any land or construct or acquire buildings or other improvements and all real and personal properties deemed necessary by the commission for such purpose, whether or not now in existence. The commission may lease to others any such facilities and may also lease lands of the commission on which such facilities may be constructed and charge and collect rent therefor, and terminate any such lease upon the failure of the lessee to comply with any of the obligations thereof. The commission may also sell, exchange, or convey and grant options to any lessee to acquire any such facilities and may lease lands of the commission on which such facilities may be constructed whenever the commission shall find any such action to be in furtherance of the purpose for which the commission was organized.