The institute is the leading unit in Bulgaria in the R&D field of aerospace technologies, solar-terrestrial and space physics (solar wind, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics, high and middle atmospheric physics, space weather), high-energy astrophysics, galactic cosmic rays, medico-biological studies related to space biotechnologies, heliobiology and telemedicine. The unit has vast experience in design, development and transfer of methods, instrumentation and technologies for remote sensing of the Earth, regional and global monitoring of the environment and security.