Dragon2 capsule composite thermal protection system. Source (All Images) | PCX AeroSystems – Santa Ana

PCX Aerosystems – Santa Ana (Calif., U.S.) offers years of experience and expertise in composites fabrication and assemblies for military and commercial space applications. The company’s vertically integrated business enables PCX to execute a wide variety of composite and hybrid composite/metallic programs through their full product life cycle. PCX Aerosystems – Santa Ana current holds qualifications for AS9100D, AS9110, ISO 9001, FAA 14 CFR 145 and FAA repair station, and is ITAR-registered and Nadcap-accredited for composites.

As a subsystem provider for military and civil aircraft, human spaceflight and tactical missile systems, PCX Aerosystems - Santa Ana products include space capsule thermal protection systems (TPS); bomber and cargo/air refueling; fighter and helicopter platforms; and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and tactical missiles. The company says it streamlines development and manufacturing of flight-critical components and systems, resulting in a balance of technical content, industry-leading quality and competitive costs. 

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The most recent programs managed by PCX Aerosystems - Santa Ana include:

Human-rated spaceflight system, the Dragon2 capsule: PCX delivered TPS components — known for their intricate design and complex fabrication process — crafted using ablative carbon fiber-reinforced phenolic composites. The company’s manufacturing process involves precise lamination and machining techniques to achieve tight-tolerance dimensions. Component details feature heavily contoured shingle laminates, with carbon fiber/phenolic material reaching thicknesses of up to 4".

F-18 filament-wound external fuel tank.

Service trunk forward fin fairing: Carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy laminates serve as fairing covers for the Falcon 9 rocket. The fairings act as aerodynamic control surfaces covering critical interface systems throughout the body of the rocket.  

Tactical missile: Design and development, as well as initial fabrication, of a deployable all-composite wing, consisting of fiberglass laminate skins bonded to closed-cell foam material and metallic components.

Composite-wrapped external fuel tanks for F-18 and H-53 tactical aircraft: These fuel tanks consist of thin-wall, welded sheet metal liners, which are filament wound with fiberglass and carbon fiber/epoxy material.