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NASA-SpaceX Capsule Switch Poised to Bring Starliner Astronauts Home Days Sooner

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NASA announced on Tuesday that it has swapped out the astronaut capsule initially planned for a routine flight to the International Space Station (ISS), a move that will expedite the return of two astronauts who have been aboard the station for longer than expected. The U.S. space agency decided to use a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, Endeavor, for its Crew-10 mission, replacing a new capsule whose production was delayed.

This change will bring the Crew-10 launch forward to March 12, moving up from the original March 25 date. NASA will still need to conduct a flight readiness assessment of the Endeavor capsule, which has already completed three previous missions.

The change in capsule is linked to the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been on the ISS since last summer aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which faced technical issues. Their return was contingent on the arrival of the Crew-10 crew to maintain the station’s normal staffing levels.

This shift in the launch schedule comes after a recent intervention by former President Donald Trump, who urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to bring Wilmore and Williams back “as soon as possible.” Trump had criticized President Joe Biden’s administration over the astronauts’ extended mission, despite Biden’s lack of involvement. Musk accepted Trump’s request and echoed similar sentiments, though the mission’s delays were largely attributed to Boeing’s engineering challenges.

While NASA’s statement did not specifically mention the intent to accelerate the return of Wilmore and Williams, the capsule swap will indeed bring them back earlier than initially planned. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program head, Steve Stich, acknowledged SpaceX’s flexibility in handling the unexpected changes.

The decision to switch capsules has also affected other planned SpaceX missions, including the Fram2 private astronaut mission and Axiom’s planned Crew Dragon flight for astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. The shift means that SpaceX will have to adjust its planned capsule allocations, impacting these missions.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule was developed with around $3 billion in funding from NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to develop private-sector capabilities for spaceflight, reducing costs and increasing competition. In contrast, Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which has struggled with engineering setbacks, is also part of the same program but has faced more significant challenges.

Dassault Systèmes Forecasts Higher Sales and Earnings in 2025

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Dassault Systèmes has projected revenue growth of 6% to 8% for 2025, an improvement from 5% in the previous year, driven by stronger software sales in late 2024. The French software firm, which serves the automotive, aerospace, and industrial sectors, also expects diluted earnings per share to rise to between 1.36 and 1.39 euros, up from 1.20 euros in 2024. Additionally, its operating margin is forecasted to increase to a range of 32.6%–32.9%, compared to 31.9% last year.

The positive outlook follows improved performance in Dassault’s software division, where revenue grew 9% in Q4 to 1.60 billion euros, supported by strong demand in the aerospace and defense sectors. The company’s flagship 3DEXPERIENCE platform, which offers 3D modeling, data management, and project management tools, saw sales growth of 22% in Q4—up from 21% in the same quarter of 2023 and recovering from a 10% decline in Q3 2024.

Dassault also announced a long-term partnership with Volkswagen to optimize the automaker’s engineering and manufacturing processes, though financial details were not disclosed.

Meanwhile, revenue at Medidata, Dassault’s clinical trial data analytics unit, increased by just 1% in Q4, an area closely monitored by investors.

Analysts at Stifel described the results as solid despite macroeconomic challenges but noted that the company’s 2025 guidance remains cautious. Dassault’s shares rose up to 2.5% at market open before stabilizing.

 

Taiwan Anticipates Minimal Impact from Trump’s Tariffs on Chip Exports

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Taiwan does not expect significant disruption to its semiconductor exports from tariffs proposed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, according to Economy Minister Kuo Jyh-huei. The island, home to the world’s largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), is a pivotal player in the global tech supply chain, supplying companies like Apple and Nvidia.

While Taiwanese officials acknowledge that U.S. tariffs could negatively affect overall economic growth in Taiwan—an export-dependent economy—Kuo emphasized that Taiwan’s semiconductor sector would largely be shielded from these changes. He pointed out that Taiwan’s technological edge in semiconductor manufacturing gives it an advantage that cannot easily be replicated, limiting the impact of any potential tariffs.

Trump has pledged to impose a blanket 10% tariff on all global imports, along with higher tariffs specifically targeting Chinese goods. He also committed to a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico upon taking office on January 20.

In response to these developments, Taiwan plans to assist companies in relocating supply chains to the United States, helping mitigate the impact of tariffs by shifting operations where necessary. Kuo also highlighted efforts to foster growth in Taiwan’s aerospace sector, suggesting that some of the island’s aerospace research and development centers could relocate to the U.S. Additionally, Taiwan plans to open an office in Japan by mid-2025 to facilitate investments and collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology.