The Film

October Sky, released in 1999 and based on the book Rocket Boys, chronicles the dreams and experiments of Homer Hickam, the son of a coal miner, who dreams of something more in life. Destined to become a coal-miner like his father, Homer chooses instead to tap into his natural gifts and intelligence and follow his dreams of building and launching rockets. With the help of three friends, one of whom is himself a gifted child, Homer uses ingenuity and perseverance to tackle seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve his dream, from finding supplies and assistance in building the rockets, to overcoming the derision of his town and the displeasure of his father, to seeing his dream slip away in an effort to do the right thing and support his family in the face of tragedy. The victory comes in the end when Homer wins the science fair with his incredible rockets and goes on to work for NASA.