GUEST: Illustrator Rick Sternbach

The company phone rings. John Hickam answers it. “Yeah? Well, thank God for that. Yeah, right now.”

John heads for the door, putting his jacket back on. “Nobody hurt,” he says to Homer, as he leaves the office.

At Cape Coalwood, the high school cheerleaders entertain the increasing audience of onlookers.

“Go, Rocket Boys!” shout the cheerleaders.

“Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven.” shouts the crowd.

“Six. Five.” Ike and his wife watch the rocket.

“Four. Three. Two,” counts Valentine.

“One. Zero. Lift off!” The knife switch is thrown, and the rocket ignites.

The crowd applauds. Ike and his wife watch the rocket climb into the sky. Elsie Hickam drops her jaw at the sight of the rocket.

Val smiles and claps.

“You got it? Can you see?” asks Roy Lee, as the missile heads downrange.

“No. Yes,” answers O’Dell.

“See it?” asks Roy Lee.

“Yeah, I got it,” says O’Dell.

“What’s the time?” asks Homer.

In This Episode

• Jake Gyllenhall as Homer Hickam
• Chris Cooper as John Hickam
• Chris Owen as Quentin
• Chad Lindberg as O'Dell
• William Lee Scott as Roy Lee
• Courtney Cole-Fendley as Dorothy Platt
• Kaili Hollister as Valentine Carmina
• Elya Baskin as Ike Bykovsky
• Randy Stripling as Leon Bolden
• Natalie Canerday as Elsie Hickam