51 U.S.C. § 20112 — Functions of the Administration

(a) Planning, Directing, and Conducting Aeronautical and Space Activities^*. To carry out this chapter's purpose, the Administration^* must: (1) plan, direct, and conduct aeronautical and space activities; (2) arrange for the scientific community to help plan the scientific measurements and observations made using aeronautical and space vehicles^*, and conduct or arrange for those measurements and observations; (3) provide for the widest practical and appropriate sharing of information about its activities and their results; (4) seek and encourage, as much as possible, the fullest commercial use of space; and (5) encourage and provide for federal government use of commercially provided space services and hardware, consistent with the government's needs.

(b) Research and Development in Certain Technologies.
(1) Ground propulsion technologies. The Administration must, to the extent funds are appropriated, start, support, and carry out research, development, demonstration, and related activities in ground propulsion technologies as described in sections 4 to 10 of the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976.
(2) Solar heating and cooling technologies. The Administration must start, support, and carry out research, development, demonstrations, and related activities in solar heating and cooling technologies (to the extent funds are appropriated) as described in sections 5, 6, and 9 of the Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974.