The CDS hosts the SIMBAD astronomical database, the world reference database for the identification of astronomical objects.

The CDS' goals are to:

• collect all of the useful information concerning astronomical objects that is available in computerized form: observational data produced by observatories around the world, on the ground or in space;
• upgrade these data by critical evaluations and comparisons;
• distribute the results to the astronomical community;
• conduct research, using these data.

The CDS has signed international exchange agreements with

• NASA (ADC),
• Japan's National Astronomical Observatory in Tokyo,
• the Russian Academy of Sciences,
• the UK PPARC Starlink network,
• China's Beijing Observatory,
• the University of Porto Allegre in Brazil,
• the University of La Plata in Argentina,
• and India's InterUniversity Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The CDS plays, or has played, a part in most of the major astronomical space missions: generating guide star catalogues (EXOSAT, IRAS, Hipparcos, HST, ISO, SAX), helping to identify observed sources (Hipparcos, Tycho, ROSAT, SIGMA), or to organize access to the archives (IUE), etc. CDS contributes to the XMM Survey Science Center, with the High-Energy group of Strasbourg astronomical observatory.

CDS is a member of the Federation of Astronomical and Geophysical Data Analysis Services (FAGS).

The CDS is cooperating with ESA (e.g. transfer of ESIS Catalogue Browser to CDS: the VizieR project), and with NASA: in particular, CDS hosts a mirror copy of the Astrophysics Data System (ADS) project, while ADS hosts a mirror copy of SIMBAD at SAO. CDS also contributes to the AstroBrowse project (see AstroGlu). CDS also hosts the European mirrors of the journals of the American Astronomical Society (AAS).

Information about CDS services can be found in the CDS Information Bulletin. The Bulletin also contains general papers about astronomical data, information methodology, other data centres' activities, etc.

The CDS staff includes about 10 researchers, 6 engineers, 3 technicians, and several temporary contractors and guest researchers.