"October Sky" tells the coming-of-age story of a young man named Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) living in a West Virginia coal mining town during the 1950's. Upon seeing Sputnik in the sky after it's launch, Homer decides that he wishes to got to college to become a rocket scientist. With the help of his friends Quentin (Chris Owen), Roy Lee (William Lee Scott), and O'Dell (Chad Lindberg), Homer builds and designs his own rockets. His ambitions get him into trouble with his father (Chris Cooper) who wants Homer to become a coal miner like himself. Luckily, Homer is strongly supported by his high school science teacher Miss Riley (Laura Dern) who encourages him to enter the National Science Fair, so he can earn a scholarship to college and follow his dreams.