The World Data Center system was created to archive and distribute data collected from the observational programs of the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year. Originally established in the United States, Europe, Russia, and Japan, the WDC system has since expanded to other countries and to new scientific disciplines. The WDC system now includes 52 Centers in 12 countries. Its holdings include a wide range of astronomy, geophysical, environmental, and human dimensions data.

The World Data Center (WDC) for Astronomy, also known as Beijing Astronomical Data Center (BADC), is the only data center on astronomy in the WDC system. WDC-Astronomy began its data sharing service in 1980s. Through widely collection, international exchanging and mirroring, quite a part of the popular astronomical archives have been collected here. All data held in WDC-Astronomy are available for no more than the cost of copying and sending the requested information. ONLINE ACCESS IS ALWAYS FFEE.

WDC-Astronomy are co-funded by Chinese National Astronomical Observatory (NAOC), data sharing funding projects of Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and maintained by LAMOST, NAOC.