West Coast Solutions (WCS) has experienced remarkable growth since its founding in 2015 by Dr. Carl Kirkconnell. From its origins as a one-person operation, the company has expanded to a team of over 40, 80% of whom are engineers. Anchored by a core group of seasoned professionals—many former Raytheon colleagues—and bolstered by a dynamic team of early-career engineers, WCS has cultivated a unique balance of experience and innovation. Cryogenics remains a central focus, reflecting Dr. Kirkconnell’s expertise in the field. This foundation, combined with technical adjacencies, has enabled WCS to establish three thriving business sectors: cryogenics, aerospace and electronics and power.
Within the cryogenics community, WCS is best known for its high-performance, cost-effective, radiation-hardened cryocooler control electronics (CCE) designed for airborne and spaceflight applications. While many projects remain confidential, notable contributions include the NASA EXCITE (Exoplanet Climate Infrared Telescope) program. For this mission, WCS delivered two sets of cryocooler electronics to drive and control Thales LPT 9310 pulse-tube cryocoolers on a balloon-based platform. In addition to providing the flight electronics, WCS supported real-time tuning of the exported vibration minimization servo—a technical achievement detailed in Cryocoolers 23. Similarly, WCS played a pivotal role in supporting Creare's MCCE-TS manufacturing effort for L3Harris Technologies’ Tranche 0 (T0) and hypersonic and ballistic tracking space sensor (HBTSS) programs.
WCS’s capabilities in cryogenics extend far beyond cryocooler electronics. As detailed in Cryocoolers 21, the company served as the cryocooler system architect for the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory’s hyperspectral thermal imager (HyTI) program. This involved developing the mechanical integration scheme, performing the thermal design, assessing exported vibration effects and delivering cryocooler flight electronics. The success of HyTI led to WCS’s selection as the CCE supplier for HyTI-2. Recent advancements also include performing exported force and torque (EFT) measurements using the company’s 6-DOF “Kistler table” dynamometer, evaluating the cooling performance of commercial off-the-shelf cryocoolers under high-vibration conditions and leading the design of next-generation cryocoolers to meet emerging requirements. In essence, WCS serves as a comprehensive cryogenics expert, offering expertise spanning from cryocoolers and their integration to CCEs tailored for specific applications.
The company’s ventures into aerospace electronics have evolved organically from its cryogenics work, drawing on decades of experience with space infrared sensors from the team’s Hughes and Raytheon roots. Building on its success with CCEs, WCS has developed a robust focal plane electronics (FPE) portfolio, achieving technology readiness level (TRL) 9 in this area. The company has also delivered custom power distribution electronics for flight programs with complex infrared sensor demands and is currently designing thermal control electronics for another space mission. Collaborations with Creare have further broadened WCS’s portfolio, such as the development of high-accuracy sensing electronics for a next-generation spacesuit oxygen flowmeter. This blend of rapid design capability, adaptability and radiation-hardening expertise has positioned WCS as a leader in aerospace electronics, expanding its impact well beyond its origins in cryogenics.
Completing WCS’s triad of capabilities is its growing power portfolio. Among its most notable achievements is the TRL 6 flight qualification of the hybrid battery supercapacitor (HBS) for the Missile Defense Agency. By hybridizing battery and supercapacitor electrodes within a single core, WCS—collaborating with a local battery cell manufacturer—has pioneered a novel space battery with approximately three times the power density (~450 W/kg) of standard lithium-ion competitors. This compact 1U (10x10x10 cm) unit delivers a continuous 700W for over six minutes, unlocking a new class of high-power payloads for satellites. Applications include supporting large longwave infrared (LWIR) and very longwave infrared (VLWIR) sensors in duty-cycled orbits, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), electric propulsion, high-data-rate transmitters and directed energy systems.
WCS redefines industry standards through advances in cryogenics, aerospace electronics, and power technology. The company’s multidisciplinary expertise and commitment to excellence ensure its position as a trusted partner for solving the complex challenges of modern space and defense missions. www.wecoso.com
Image: HyTI – CCE and Cryocooler Integration for HSFL HyTI. Credit: WCS
