TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Process: The process further comprises: shaping the working material into a near net shape preform subsequent to or prior to drying the working material; curing the thermosetting resin in the near net shape preform under suitable cure conditions to provide a cured preform; pyrolyzing the cured preform to produce the carbon char and to form a porous preform; and infiltrating the porous preform with molten silicon to form the ceramic composite structure. In the process, the step of providing the precursor slurry composition includes: providing 48 vol.% of acetone, 16 vol.% of the carbonaceous solids component, 9 vol.% of the ceramic component, and the thermosetting resin and the curing agent as the remainder amount; providing at least one additive including dispersant, thickening agent, crosslinking monomer, low profile additive or pigment; providing a thermosetting resin able to be cured in less than 15 minutes; or selecting at least one of graphite particles, graphite flakes, graphite whiskers, amorphous, single crystal or polycrystalline carbon, carbonized plant fibers, lamp black, finely divided coal, charcoal, carbonized polymer fibers, or felt for the carbonaceous solids component. The step of shaping the working material includes forming many prepreg plies, where the working material is dried prior to forming the prepreg plies, and the process further comprises: stacking the prepreg plies to provide an uncured ply stack; covering each of the outer plies of the stack with a covering ply formed of a matrix material comprising the thermosetting resin and the curing agent; press curing the stack under suitable cure conditions for a total cure time of less than 15 minutes; pyrolyzing the cured stack to produce the carbon char and to form porous preform; and infiltrating the porous preform with molten silicon to form the ceramic composite structure. Preferred Components: The working material comprises a unidirectional tape. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.