Catalyzes the specific attachment of an amino acid to its cognate tRNA in a 2 step reaction: the amino acid (AA) is first activated by ATP to form AA-AMP and then transferred to the acceptor end of the tRNA. ATP + L-aspartate + tRNA(Asp) = AMP + diphosphate + L-aspartyl-tRNA(Asp) Homodimer (PubMed:23609930). Part of a multisubunit complex that groups tRNA ligases for Arg (RARS1), Asp (DARS1), Gln (QARS1), Ile (IARS1), Leu (LARS1), Lys (KARS1), Met (MARS1) the bifunctional ligase for Glu and Pro (EPRS1) and the auxiliary subunits AIMP1/p43, AIMP2/p38 and EEF1E1/p18 (PubMed:19131329, PubMed:19289464). Expression in the developing and adult brain shows similar patterns. Highly expressed in the ventricular and subventricular zones, including hippocampal subfields, the midlateral temporal cortex and the frontal polar cortex. The cerebellum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and lateral ventricle show preferential neuronal expression. Expression in the peripheral neurons is evident in the colon. The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry. Belongs to the class-II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family. Type 2 subfamily.