October Sky [DVD]

The powerful movie based on the book written by Homer Hickam

October Sky is the touching and inspiring true story of a group of young boys growing up in the mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia, in the 1950s. In Coalwood, coal mining is king, and it seems no one can escape life underground. But when Homer Hickam, Jr. sees the Soviet satellite Sputnik streak overhead in 1957, he and his buddies begin building rockets. With the encouragement of supportive teachers and against the wishes of his father, Homer overcomes seemingly impossible odds to fulfill his vision in one of the most timeless and inspiring stories ever brought to the screen.

October Sky is a 1999 film produced by Charles Gordon and directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. It is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes and eventually became a NASA scientist.