In January 1986, seventh-grade siblings Cash, Fitch, and Bird Nelson Thomas each live in their own orbits. Cash loves basketball but is in danger of losing his spot on the team because of his failing grades. Fitch spends most of his time at the local arcade but struggles with a hot temper. And Bird dreams of becoming NASA’s first female shuttle commander, even though she feels invisible in her own house. When their science teacher gets them excited about the upcoming Challenger Space Shuttle launch, the siblings finally find something they can all bond over. But when the fateful launch day arrives and the space shuttle explodes, it changes everything.