SAASST is a leading educational and research academy in the MENA world. Its Space Sciences Department consists of eight research laboratories:
- CubeSat – 9 engineers
- Radio Astronomy – 6 scientists and 2 engineers
- Space Weather and Ionospheric – 1 scientist and 3 engineers
- High Energy Astrophysics – 3 scientists
- Meteorite Center – 2 scientists and 4 engineers
- Space Artificial Intelligence – 2 engineers
- Rockets Propulsion and Exhaust – 2 engineers
- Space Robotics (under construction)
Each research laboratory has several ongoing projects; some others are on the plan for the next few years. Prof. Ilias laid down the different projects of each lab and emphasized the role of students in pursuing SAASST efforts to develop new ideas to fulfill SAASST's great ambitions in terms of space exploration.
SAASST presently has 34 scientists and engineers working on various projects. To mention a few new projects and after the successful launch of Sharjah-Sat-1 on Jan. 03, 2023, the CubeSat laboratory is planning for Sharjah-Sat-2, an Earth Observational satellite with a 4.75 m ground resolution. The Radio Astronomy Laboratory is working on the 0.6 km radio interferometer that will be operating at 1.4 GHz. The Meteorite Center plans to upgrade the UAEMMN system by adding more towers and changing the cameras and the towers. The Space Weather and Ionospheric will be linked to Sharjah-Sat-3 (a Space Weather Satellite) and Sharjah-Sat-4 (a GNSS satellite). The Space Artificial Intelligence Laboratory will be developing new algorithms to help the other SAASST research laboratories. All of these new projects are to promote the University of Sharjah and SAASST at the top of space sciences applications in the United Arab Emirates and the MENA world.