Peter Datlen. Photo supplied.Ashburton’s own rocket-man Peter Datlen came back to his original launch pad yesterday to share his story about how he came to work for leading company Rocket Lab and his role in putting those rockets together.

Datlen was the first speaker of three to talk to the U3A group on their mini-series on space at St David’s Church Hall in Allenton, just around the corner from where he grew up.

He spoke about the path that led him to working in the space industry, with developing an interesting for cars and mechanics from his father who owned the petrol station on the corner of Harrison Street and Allens Road.

Following his father’s death in an aeroplane accident in 2006, Datlen decided a career in the air force as a aeronautical technician was what he wanted to do when he finished his time at Ashburton College.

“I had had no interest in it previously, but I figured I wasn’t able to fix the plane that dad crashed in, but I could fix all the others,” he said.

In 2008 he joined the air force, where he remained for several years before leaving after the report into the plane crash that killed his father found that it was not a mechanical fault that caused the plane to crash.

“That was the only reason I had gone into the air force and I found my drive was gone,” he said.

After that he trained to become a commercial pilot, before shifting careers again, working on newly imported Ford Mustangs to New Zealand and even trying his hand at swinging the hammer as a builder.

It was not until an old friend from the air force called him to tell him he had this job at a new company called RocketLab building rockets and asked if he wanted a job did he find a permanent passion.

“He asked ‘do I want to come build rockets’ and I asked ‘are you mental?’” he said.

“They brought me up to Auckland and I got to walk around the workshop, it wasn’t huge but it was unbelievable.”

Datlen was part of the small team that constructed the first rocket launched by RocketLab in 2017, and is now the lead launch technician for the company which now has more than 550 staff and has plans to work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to build a launch-pad in the United States.

Datlen also spoke to the group about Rocket Lab’s other plans for the future, including getting to the stage where they are launching one rocket every week and not leaving any space junk behind.

Rocket Lab is now an American registered and owned company, but is still run by New Zealanders and is based out of their Auckland factory and control room, launching their rockets from Mahia Peninsula, one-hour’s drive from Gisborne.

The U3A group will have two more speakers on space over the coming weeks, with British astronomer Ian Griffin coming to speak on September 3 and local astronomer Alister Perkins will deliver a Layman’s Guide to the Universe on September 4.

Both events will be held at the St David’s Church Hall from 10am and are open to casual visits from members of the public with an entry fee of $10.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 28 August 2019

Saula Sologa. Photo Heather MackenzieAttempting to barge his way through the Ellesmere defence at the Rakaia Domain on Sunday was Saula Sologa.

Sologa was part of the Mid Canterbury Under-18 team which was beaten by the Ellesmere Under-18s in what was a pre-season trial match, as they look to build towards the South Island Under-18 tournament, which is this year being hosted by Canterbury Metro.

The Mid Canterbury Under-18s will again be in action this weekend, this time against the South Canterbury Under-18s at Hinds.

The Mid Canterbury Under-16s will also play South Canterbury at the Hinds Domain on Saturday, with both games kicking off at 1pm.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 27 August 2019

College A were in a celebratory mood after taking out the Mid Canterbury Netball premier one title with a big win over Celtic A on Saturday. Photos Heather MackenzieCollege A have claimed their first Mid Canterbury Netball premier one crown since 2010.

The competition’s youngest side simply proved far too slick for the competition’s defending champions Celtic A in Saturday’s final, winning 34-27.

It was a stellar end to what was a massive day of netball finals at the EA Networks Centre, with the two teams all square at the end of the first quarter at 7-all.

Although College A moved ahead in the second quarter and restricted Celtic A to just three goals to take a 19-10 lead to the half-time break, Celtic A were always threatening.

Last year’s winners landed the first three goals of the third to make up some of the ground they’d lost, but College A soon rediscovered their rhythm and once the ball was in the hands of goal shoot Hayley Tallentire or goal attack Dani McArthur, a goal was almost assured.

College A continued to build on their lead and by three-quarter-time were in front by 10, and although Celtic A again started strong and slotted the first five goals of the final quarter to halve that lead, that was as close as they were to get again, with the College A side holding their nerve in front of the big, and loud, crowd.

College A coach Kaye Kennedy said that she was incredibly proud of her young side.

“They were really nervous, but once that opening whistle went they realised it was just another game, and we just had to go out there and execute our basics well,” Kennedy said.

“My girls, they are really skilled and they actually love to win and they had real belief that they could do it, and that showed out there.”

She said they’d played with patience all season, and continued that on Saturday.

“It was all there for them to actually lose their heads and let it get to them – the crowd and even just being announced on to court, those sorts of things can be tough for kids to cope with.

“But they managed really well, they were calm once they got on the court and they played really well as a unit,” Kennedy said.

Celtic A coach Ange Leadley said her side was simply outplayed.

“It was disappointing to lose, but when you lose knowing that you left everything on court and you lost to a really skilled opposition it makes it easier,” Leadley said.

“And I really want to acknowledge the umpires (Kevin Opele and Jan Lee), the umpiring was just outstanding.”

Leadley said 2019 had been a tough year for Celtic A.

After going through 2018 unbeaten, they’d had a real bad patch and dropped some games this season, thanks in part to a bad run with injuries.

And that run continued on Saturday, with goal defence Liv Hutchinson taking to the court despite having injured her shoulder earlier in the day, and having to be replaced by Barrine Ross – who had already played in the premier two final for Celtic B – part way through the first half.

Celtic A never gave up, starting each quarter strongly to ensure they remained in the hunt, and Leadley said her team should be proud of their efforts.

Meanwhile, the Mid Canterbury Netball premier two title was won by Southern A after they beat Celtic B in that final.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 25 August 2019