The Winds-Ions-Neutral Composition Suite (WINCS)

The Winds-Ions-Neutral Composition Suite (WINCS) instrument was designed and developed jointly by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for ionosphere-thermosphere investigations in orbit between 120 and 550 km altitude. The three WINCS instruments are: the Wind and Temperature Spectrometer WTS, the Ion-Drift and ion temperature Spectrometer IDS, and the Neutral and Ion Mass Spectrometer NMS/IMS. The WINCS design provides the following measurements in a single package with a low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP): 7.6 x 7.6 x 7.1 cm outer dimensions, 0.75 kg total mass, and <1 Watt total power: neutral winds, neutral temperature, neutral density, neutral composition, ion drifts, ion temperature, ion density and ion composition. This paper will provide an overview of the WINCS design.