KODIAK -- The future of the state-owned Alaska Aerospace Corp. could be bleak if the Legislature fails to approve an $8 million budget item for this year.

KMXT says the issue arose Monday in Juneau when House Majority Leader Alan Austerman raised the specter of shutting down the state-owned enterprise if the money can't be secured.

The Kodiak Republican, who is a nonvoting member of the ACC board, said the $8 million requested by the governor is enough to hold the corporation over. The facility has no launches lined up for this year.

Rep. Anna Fairclough, vice chair of House Finance, says she supports the $8 million request. The corporation last year received $4 million in general fund money for maintenance and operation of the Kodiak Launch Complex.