Thousands of scientists, including about 200 astronauts, will visit Adelaide for an international space conference in 2017.

The city has beaten bids from others in Germany, the United States, Ireland and Turkey to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

Adelaide's backers, including the Space Industry Association, spent four years bidding to be host.

Organisers expect it to be the largest congress hosted in Adelaide and said the city could expect an economic boost of about $18 million.

This year's congress has just been held in Toronto in Canada, where Adelaide's successful bid was announced for the September 2017 global gathering.

A key executive of the International Astronautical Federation visited Adelaide recently to view its conference, hospitality and other tourism facilities.

Adelaide Convention Bureau chief executive Damien Kitto said he was delighted with the city's success.

"The IAC is the world's most important annual interdisciplinary meeting for the space industry, regularly attracting over 3,000 participants from more than 70 countries, including space professionals, academics, major corporations, government representatives, students and media," he said.

Congress a 'springboard' for space opportunities

Mr Kitto said the event would leave a priceless legacy for South Australia's space and related industries.

"For the duration of the event, the eyes of the space industry will be firmly on this state," he said.

"It will increase opportunities for international collaboration and regional leadership."

Capturing the lunar eclipse Cameras at the ready: The full moon will turn red as the Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon.

Organisers said South Australia has several internationally recognised organisations and businesses with space industry roles.

SA has had decades of space industry involvement through its outback launch and test site at Woomera and Adelaide is also where Andy Thomas grew up, before he moved to the United States and flew space missions.

Along with the Adelaide space conference, there will be an exhibition promoting the work of agencies and international space companies including Lockheed Martin, Boeing Space Exploration, China Aerospace Tech Corp and Airbus.

The congress organisers also plan to showcase Australian innovation in the space field.

Adelaide has run an annual space school for selected secondary students for close to two decades, to keep them engaged with physics and urge them to consider space-related careers.

The director of the South Australian space school, Mike Roach, said Adelaide students involved with past space schools had gone on to great careers, including one with a key role on the International Space Station project.