Catalyzes the first intracellular reaction of sulfate assimilation, forming adenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (APS) from inorganic sulfate and ATP. Plays an important role in sulfate activation as a component of the biosynthesis pathway of sulfur-containing amino acids. ATP + H(+) + sulfate = adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate + diphosphate Sulfur metabolism; hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis; sulfite from sulfate: step 1/3. Homohexamer. Dimer of trimers. The oligomerization domain is distantly related to APS kinases, but it is not functional and does not bind APS. It is required for oligomerization of the enzyme, although the oligomerization state has no effect on the catalytic activity of the enzyme. Belongs to the sulfate adenylyltransferase family.