The movie starts with Charles Farmer, a middle-aged Texan who once dreamed of becoming an astronaut but left the space program to manage his family's failing ranch after his father’s death. Despite his responsibilities, Charles is determined to fulfill his space dream and has invested all his savings into building a rocket in his barn.

The story shows Audrey, Charles's wife, dealing with local ridicule about Charles's ambitious project while working at a diner. Charles, meanwhile, is seeking to purchase 10,000 pounds of fuel for his rocket, which proves to be both challenging and expensive. He then approaches his friend Arnold, a bank loan officer, for financial assistance. Arnold, however, warns Charles that he is already deep in debt and advises him to abandon his dream to avoid losing the ranch. Charles leaves disheartened, facing increasing obstacles in pursuing his goal.