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This movie is based on a true story which takes place in Coalwood, West Virginia in 1957. The movie October Sky begins with the launching of Sputnik. Ms. Riley's class sits and listens as Sputnik flies through outerspace. This captures the attention of a student named Quentin. Quentin is not liked by most of the other students because he is smart and considered a "geek". After seeing Quentin's passion for science and rocket building fellow student Homer Hickam Jr. becomes interested. Homer asks Quentin one day in lunch if he could teach him everything he knew about rocket building. This upset his friends Roy Lee and Odell because they believed talking to Quentin could be devastating to their reputation. Finally, Homer convinced his friends to help. They began to build rockets and try new and effective ways to get them to fly. In the process, they blew up Elsie's (Homer's Mom) new picket fence. Without the approval of John Hickam the boys still continue to rocket build. The eventually set up a rocket building laboratory in Homer's basement. They realize that they need help with welding and sanding on their rockets so they ask for the help of employees a