West Coast Solutions receives prestigious award from JPL

West Coast Solutions receives prestigious award from JPL

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, UNITED STATES, March 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In recognition of outstanding technical, cost, and schedule performance, West Coast Solutions was awarded the 2024 Small Business of the Year Award last week in a ceremony held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA. West Coast Solutions was recognized for technical and program execution excellence in remarks by Debbie Lee, JPL Acquisition Section Manager. Ms. Lee especially highlighted the company’s ongoing performance on the Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) Program, on which West Coast Solutions is providing mission-critical thermal control modules to enable SBG to achieve the program’s technical objectives.

The SBG mission will use hyperspectral visible to shortwave infrared (VSWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to investigate ground/water temperature, snow reflectivity, active geologic processes, vegetation traits, and algal biomass. This information will be used to better understand the earth and allow us to see changes in these important variables. “West Coast Solutions is proud to be a critical team member of this important mission which will provide valuable insight into the world we live in,” says Mike Darlington, Technical Director of the WCS SBG Thermal Control Program.

The WCS support to JPL on the SBG Program continues a successful series of subcontracts going back to the Ultra Compact Imaging Spectrometer – Airborne (UCIS-A) Program, a multiyear program that WCS joined in 2019 to provide cryocooler and optical integration support, custom cryocooler control electronics, and the precision power supply module for the focal plane array. Other highlights since 2019 include the highly successful, wide reaching Carbon Plume Mapper (CPM) subcontract on which WCS delivered four (4) complete flight sets and four (4) complete “flat sat” sets of focal plane and cryocooler control avionics, going from a clean sheet of paper to hardware delivery in less than two years.

In acceptance remarks, Dr. Carl Kirkconnell, President of WCS, expressed appreciation on behalf of his team for both the award and how this deep engagement with JPL is helping to make WCS a stronger company. “JPL is the Top Gun Academy of engineers and scientists-the best of the best. And you make us better,” he said. Dr. Kirkconnell committed to continuing to strive on behalf of JPL to continue their superb technical track record. “The entire experience has been humbling and inspiring,” Kirkconnell said in remarks after the ceremony. “This is about the technical excellence and strong work ethic of the WCS Team – I could not be prouder to have the privilege of leading such a fine team. On behalf of all of us, thank you to the JPL Small Business and SBG Program Offices for this recognition!”

Wecoso, Inc. dba West Coast Solutions is a high-end aerospace firm located in Huntington Beach, CA. Founded in 2015 by Dr. Carl Kirkconnell and a small team of seasoned professionals with decades of prior success at Hughes Aircraft / Raytheon, the company now boasts three growing business segments: Aerospace Electronics, Cryogenics, and Space and Tactical Power. Learn more about the West Coast Solutions team at wecoso.com.

Carl Kirkconnell
West Coast Solutions
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn