Also in the News – 27 July 2026
- Pathfinder project closed
- Further Shaetlan recognition
- Shore based power project under way
- Goodlad to speak at global island event
- Musician seeks crowdfunder support
LOCKHEED Martin and the UK Space Agency have mutually agreed to close the grant programme associated with the Pathfinder satellite launch project.
It had initially been hoped that the American aerospace and defence giant would be the first to launch a satellite from SaxaVord Space Centre.
But the project was put on ice when Lockheed Martin’s partner ABL Space Systems was irrecoverably damaged during a fire in 2024.
Space agency ‘assessing’ Pathfinder launch after rocket firm decision
The company then changed direction to focus on missile defence rather than orbital launches.
A spokesperson for Lockheed Martin told Shetland News: “None of the available options met the existing grant requirements in terms of programme objectives, anticipated benefits, and value for money.
“As a result, Lockheed Martin and the UK Space Agency mutually agreed to close the grant programme.”
They added: “While the Shetland programme has concluded, Lockheed Martin remains committed to supporting the growth of the space sector and continues to explore new launch opportunities and partnerships across the UK and Europe.
“We also continue to monitor developments in the launch market and maintain strong relationships across the space ecosystem as the sector evolves.”
STUDENTS enrolling at colleges across Scotland will for the first time be able to identify Shaetlan as their first language.
The initiative represents the first national collection of data specifically relating to the language and is expected to provide insights into how the language is spoken, understood and used across communities today.
Dean of Research and Innovation at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Dr Beth Mouat, described the move as a “landmark moment” for the Shaetlan language.
“For the first time, we will have the opportunity to formally record Shaetlan as our midder tongue in an official setting. Good evidence is essential if languages are to be recognised, valued and supported.”
The new data collection is expected to provide a clearer picture of the language’s current position and help inform future decisions around research, education, cultural policy and language planning.
Shaetlan was first described as a language in its own right by Shetland-based linguist Dr Viveka Velupillai in her and Roy Mullay’s 2025 book Shaetlan – A young language wi aald røts.
Photo: Lerwick Port Authority
WORK is now under way at Holmsgarth Berth 3 to provide electrical power for the two NorthLink passenger vessels when berthed alongside.
The new infrastructure supports more sustainable vessel operations and contributes towards wider decarbonisation goals across the maritime sector, Lerwick Port Authority (LPA) said on Monday.
Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) chief executive Kevin Hobbs said the funding package for the installation of the shore power project has been provided by CMAL and Transport Scotland.
Once operational, the system will allow the vessels to switch off onboard generators and draw electrical power directly from the port while alongside, using electricity supplied through the harbour’s network.
Electricity in Shetland is still mainly produced by burning diesel in the Lerwick Power Station but is set to change next year when the isles will be connected to the new transmission network which includes the Viking wind farm and the HDVC subsea cable.
Photo: Scottish Government
SHETLAND’S MSP Hannah Mary Goodlad has been confirmed as one of the main speakers at his year’s Virtual Islands Summit (VIS), taking place online over three days in September.
Now in its eighth year, the global event brings together representatives of island communities from around the world, discussing shared challenges and develop solution that could be relevant beyond their own shores.
Programming will span time zones so that audiences can join live at a time that suits them.
Shetland will also be represented by Dr Andrew Jennings, Associate Professor in Island Studies at the Institute for Northern Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands.
The summit will run from 15 to 17 September. All sessions will be available free of charge. Registration is now open here.
LEVENWICK-based singer songwriter Jenny Sturgeon has launched a Crowdfunder appeal to help fund a new solo album which she hopes to produce early in the new year.
She said she would be working with an “incredible group of people” to make the new record a reality. Creative Scotland has agreed to match every donation on a £1 to £1 basis, up to a maximum of £250 per supporter.
Her last album – The Living Mountain – was inspired by the hills of her childhood in Aberdeenshire and by Nan Shepherd’s book of the same name.
The Crowdfunder can be found here.
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