1,850
°C
MAX TEMPERATURE
3,360°F
0.05
W/m·K
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
0.27
KG/M³
DENSITY
76 mm
THICKNESS
TYPICAL
20.5 kg/m²
KG/M²
MASS PER AREA
3
VEHICLES
PROTECTED
THERMAL RATING
PICA-X is a ablative thermal protection system by SpaceX. Rated to 1,850°C. Status: Active.
ABOUT PICA-X
PICA-X is SpaceX’s proprietary variant of NASA’s Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator, developed for the Dragon capsule. It can withstand temperatures exceeding 1850°C during reentry and is designed to be reusable across multiple missions. PICA-X is manufactured at significantly lower cost than the original NASA PICA formulation.
THERMAL PROPERTIES
Material TypeAblative
Max Temperature1,850°C (3,360°F)
Thermal Conductivity0.05 W/m·K
AblativeYes
ReusableYes
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Density0.27 kg/m³
Thickness76 mm
Mass per Area20.5 kg/m² kg/m²
COMPOSITION
Phenolic resin impregnated carbon fiber preform
VEHICLES USING PICA-X
Dragon 1
Dragon 2 (Crew Dragon)
Dragon XL
MISSION HISTORY
First MissionDragon C1 (COTS Demo 1)
First FlightDecember 8, 2010
ManufacturerSpaceX
StatusActive
