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E Gr\"un, H Kr\"uger, R Srama (MPI-K), M Landgraf (JSC), M Horanyi (LASP), J Kissel (MPE), H Svedhem (ESTEC)
Galactic interstellar dust (ISD) is the major ingredient in planetary formation. However, information on this important material has been extremely limited. Recently the Ulysses dust detector has identified and measured interstellar dust outside 1.8 AU from the Sun at ecliptic latitudes above 50 deg. Inside this distance it could not reliably distinguish interstellar from interplanetary dust. From the Hiten satellite in high eccentric orbit about the Earth there are indications that ISD indeed reaches the Earth's orbit. Recent Cassini measurements suggest that a significant ISD flux exists even inside the Earth's orbit. The Stardust mission is under way to analyze by an in-situ detector and to collect ISD between 2 and 3 AU from the Sun. Modeling the Ulysses data suggests that up to 30 masses above 10-13 g at 1 AU is of interstellar origin. It is proposed that interstellar dust flux can be identified and quantified in high-Earth orbit (outside the debris belts). A mission scenario is described that allows us by in-situ dust measurements to distinguish interplanetary from interstellar dust and provide important physical, chemical and isotopic information on ISD. Thereby, crucial information is provided for follow-up missions to collect galactic dust in Earth orbit for sample return.