Laboratory and space experiments for the exploration of the interplanetary dust: Memories of the activities of the dust group of the MPI for Nuclear Physics during the years 1964 through 1994

The dust group in the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik during its 30 years from 1964 through 1994 largely contributed to the cosmic dust research by the study of microcraters on lunar rocks and of the dust population in the inner solar system with experiments on the 2nd high eccentric orbiting Earth satellite and on the German–American space probe HELIOS. In the 1980s the group has flown successful experiments on the European space agency mission GIOTTO as well as on the soviet space probes Venus Galley to comet Halley. Finally, it was engaged in the laboratory analysis of collected interplanetary dust particles.