(wind blowing)
("California Dreamin'" by Calexico playing)
(birds chirping and calling)
(song continues with lyrics in Spanish)
JULIA: José!
(car horn honking)
JOSÉ: Beto...
See you on the other side, primo.
(in Spanish): Well, Mommy, give me the blessing for the road.
Yes, mijo.
We are coming back when the season is over.
And we will finish building our house.
José!
Let's go, mijo.
Dad, are you crying?
No, no…
...just some dirt got into my eye.
All right.
♪ ♪
Did you know that the monarch butterflies
fly from farther north than the United States,
all the way here to Michoacán?
And when spring comes, they go back.
These little bugs that weigh just one gram
make a 2,000-mile journey.
Makes you think, right?
♪ All the leaves are brown... ♪
NEWSMAN (in English): Tens of thousands of these workers
are brought across the border from Mexico every year.
They are the very old and the very young,
men and boys, women and even children,
then sent to work on big farms in the Imperial Valley,
the San Joaquin Valley, the Salinas Valley,
the Santa Clara Valley.
(news report continues indistinctly and fades)
-♪ California dreamin' ♪ -♪ California dreamin' ♪
(horn honking)
♪ On such a winter's day... ♪
CHAVA (in Spanish): Don't get too excited.
We won't be staying here for long.
♪ On such a winter's day. ♪
-(school bell ringing) -(song ends)
MISS YOUNG (in English): Okay, everyone to your seats.
-We're gonna start our class. -(students chattering)
José.
You're back.
-Two times 11? -(chalk writing on board)
STUDENTS: 22.
Two times 12?
STUDENTS: 24.
How about two times 17?
(in Spanish): Thirty-four!
(in English): In English, please.
Thirty-four?
(students laughing)
MISS YOUNG: You all think that's so funny?
Who can tell me what seven times 60 is?
Oh, no, no, no. Let's make that seven times 63.
Take it away, Mr. Hernández.
Four hundred and 41.
("96 Tears" by ? & the Mysterians playing)
(knock on door)
Beto.
So nice to have you back as well.
Have a seat.
♪ Too many teardrops for one heart to be crying ♪
(in Spanish): Why haven't you been to school?
(in English): Work.
♪ Too many teardrops for one heart... ♪
(song continues over radio)
DJ (in Spanish, over radio): Good morning! Cheer up, people!
Transmitting to all the Latino community from California and Texas.
A big "hello" to all my friends who are getting ready to work in the fields.
This single from Mark and The Mysterians is for you, "96 Tears"...
-(radio shuts off) -JULIA (in English): José, it's time.
(yawning)
DJ (in Spanish, over radio): Cheer up, people!
(song continues)
♪ Too many teardrops for one heart to be crying ♪
Let's go!
(busy chatter)
♪ Too many teardrops for one heart to carry on... ♪
-(Spanish chatter playing over radio) -(engine sputtering)
(horn honks)
Mom...
...what are stars for?
That's a question for school.
DJ (over radio): Hey! We're back. This is Radio Cadena...
-(school bell ringing) -(students chattering)
♪ I'm gonna get there ♪
♪ We'll be together ♪
♪ For just a little while ♪
♪ And then I'm gonna put you... ♪
Ow!
-Excuse me! -(school bell ringing)
♪ And you'll start crying ♪
♪ 96 tears... ♪
(busy chatter)
JULIA: Take this, mijo.
Come on.
-(grunts) -(song stops abruptly)
(shouts angrily)
I'm sick of this!
I'm tired!
I'm sunburnt!
I'm full of mud!
And I stink!
I can't do this anymore!
(laughing)
Shut up, stupid Beto!
You think I'm not tired?
Or that your mom is not tired?
Oh, Pepito... look at this mess.
How do you do it?
You say you're tired, but I don't see you tired.
It's because I've got a recipe, mijo.
The first thing is
you have to know what you want.
♪ ♪
Second, look where you're standing.
How far you still need to go.
Three...
you have to think how you're going to get there.
Fourth ingredient,
if you don't know how, you have to learn.
Fifth, and last one.
When you think you've made it,
you'll probably have to try even harder.
(horn honks)
MISS YOUNG (in English): Okay, so for homework,
you'll need to write a composition...
"When I Grow Up."
I want to see how you come up with many...
-(whispers): Beto. Beto. -...beautiful and powerful adjectives.
-Beto. -Okay?
(in Spanish): Wake up, Beto.
MISS YOUNG (in English): "When I grow up, what do I want to be?"
How can you describe what you want to be?
-(school bell ringing) -(students chattering)
JOSÉ: Miss Young.
What are stars for?
"What are stars for?" (sighs)
Well, that is one tough question, sir.
You know what?
I think you're gonna be one of those people
who can actually come up with an answer for that kind of question.
♪ ♪
(Salvador speaks Spanish)
SALVADOR: Lety!
(speaks Spanish)
LETY: Pepito. Pepe!
It's about to happen!
They just said it on the radio.
Pepito, come!
Hold the antenna!
-Man on the moon, Pepe. -(Salvador speaks Spanish)
MAN (over TV): "It's been a real smooth countdown."
We've passed the 50-second mark.
-Power transfer is complete. -(excited chatter in Spanish)
We're on internal power with the launch vehicle at this time.
40 seconds away from the Apollo 11 liftoff.
All the second stage tanks now pressurized.
35 seconds and counting.
We are still go with Apollo 11.
30 seconds and counting.
Astronauts report, "It feels good."
T-minus 25 seconds.
20 seconds and counting.
(food sizzling)
T-minus 15 seconds.
Guidance is internal.
12, 11, ten, nine...
Ignition sequence starts.
Six, five, four, three, two,
-one, zero. -(rocket rumbling)
All engine running.
♪ ♪
Liftoff! We have a liftoff!
32 minutes past the hour.
Liftoff on Apollo 11.
Tower cleared.
NEIL ARMSTRONG: Roger. We got a roll program.
MAN: Neil Armstrong reporting their roll and pitch program,
which puts Apollo 11 on a proper heading.
Plus 30 seconds.
ARMSTRONG: Roll's complete and the pitch is programming.
One Bravo.
(mission chatter fading)
♪ ♪
(kids arguing in Spanish)
(in Spanish): Put it over there, mija.
Come on, mija.
(knock on door)
(Julia sighs)
MISS YOUNG (in English): Mr. and Mrs. Hernández...
(in Spanish): I would like...
(in English): I'm a bit worried about your children's education.
(in Spanish): She's saying that...
She's saying that you're going to ruin your children's education.
MISS YOUNG (in English): I really think you should reconsider traveling so much.
(in Spanish): She's saying that
you're dumb,
for making us travel so much.
(kids giggling quietly)
Tell her we have to go where there's work.
We have no option.
(in English): I understand.
Can you ask your father...
What would happen if he had a tree,
planted it, watered it, cared for it,
but then dug it up and replanted it every year, again and again?
How would that tree grow?
(in Spanish): She's saying that...
Miss...
(in English): We need money.
For a house in Michoacán.
We need to work.
Okay?
(Salvador sighs)
(in Spanish): Will you excuse me.
(door closes)
(in English): Miss Young!
I did my homework.
(Miss Young chuckles softly)
You are a force of nature.
Nothing will stop you.
Remember that.
♪ ♪
(indistinct shouting)
(in Spanish): What happened?
-(panting) -Salvador?
(grunts angrily)
They're not going to pay full shifts.
He says that we didn't do all the baskets.
But we did...
I know.
For us, there's no chances or shortcuts.
Salvador.
In fact, you are very lucky.
You can have a look at your future.
See over there?
All of that...
(in English): All that is your future.
(chuckles)
(in Spanish): The teacher's right.
(Julia chuckles)
The tree would grow...
...but neither tall,
nor very strong.
And it would probably bear no fruit.
All right, everybody, show me your hands.
With those hands,
we pick the food that people are going to have on their table
and with a lot of pride.
Understood?
This may not be your future...
...but it will always be your past.
Right?
Let's go!
Sit up straight.
(in English): The house in Michoacán will have to wait.
(in Spanish): The teacher is going to be really happy.
-(engine starts) -(laughs)
("El Hijo Del Pueblo" by José Alfredo Jiménez playing, lyrics in Spanish)
(song continues)
♪ ♪
(cheering, applause)
♪ ♪
(song ends)
("Contrabando Y Traición" by Los Tigres del Norte playing, lyrics in Spanish)
-(song continues over car stereo) -(José singing along)
(scatting melody)
(continues singing along)
-(engine shuts off) -(song stops)
LOGAN (in English): All right, if that's everybody, let's get this started.
Hope you had a good night last night.
Okay, now,
who can tell me what this is?
Wild guess, anyone?
MAN: A circle.
No.
You numb nuts.
This is the Soviet Union.
Now, who can tell me what this is?
-The United States. -United States of America.
Now, who can tell me what this is?
-WEISSBERG: A rocket. -Be more specific.
WEISSBERG: A hostile rocket.
LOGAN: Be more specific, Weissberg.
A hostile rocket... mid-flight?
Wrong.
This is a missile traveling at five miles per second.
It carries a nuclear warhead capable of destroying Manhattan.
Now, who is there to protect these people from such an attack? Hmm?
-Anybody. -We are.
What'd you say?
Uh, I said, "We are."
I mean, you know, if somebody were to at--
to, like, try to attack us, you know,
we would protect ourselves.
Who the hell are you?
Uh, I'm José Hernández, sir.
Uh, it's my first day here.
In what capacity?
Lab engineer.
Weissberg, get this guy an office. Get him to work now.
♪ ♪
(phones ringing in distance)
(lights buzzing)
Excuse me.
Hi. Um, I'm José Hernández.
Uh, there's a... an office upstairs that needs a...
uh, the bulbs, uh, changed 'cause the...
Y-You're the new guy, right?
-Yeah. -Yeah, hey.
Um, the supply room is down to the right.
You'll find everything you need in there.
Here are all the keys.
In the supply room, you'll find light bulbs,
bleach, mops, brooms, rags, Windex, all that good stuff.
And there is also a supply closet on the sixth floor next to the ladies' room.
-Okay, um, I-I don't... -Oh!
And the third floor men's room needs toilet paper.
When you get a chance.
-Okay. Mm-hmm. -Uh, yeah, welcome. Um...
-(phone ringing) -Oh, one second.
-(stammers) -Hello. Hi, sir.
Yeah. I'll be right there.
(hangs up phone)
Please just let me know if you need anything else, okay?
-Okay. -Okay. Welcome.
So, it's liver... liver what?
Nah, it's Lawrence Livermore Labs.
So what the hell is that?
-It's a federal research facility. -Uh-huh.
It's, uh, it's, like, national security.
And we're working on the... on the most sophisticated X-ray laser in the world.
It could be potentially the--
like, this-this is potentially--
the single most important breakthrough for ICBM defense in decades.
So... so... so guns.
Huh? Eh, vato.
We were just talking about lasers.
And we're gonna put them out in the orbit and save millions of lives
if the Russians were to attack.
-If the Russians were to attack. Yeah. -Yeah.
That's pretty crazy, man.
You know that that's a real thing, right?
(Beto laughs)
You don't read the newspapers?
BETO: Remember when we were kids
and in school they made us draw what we wanted to be when we grew up?
-Yeah. Yeah. -I remember yours.
Miss Young, she-she hanged it in class.
Ah, yeah, yeah, I remember.
I said I wanted to be a ranchera singer.
-Yeah, but you can't sing. -(laughs)
Or play the guitar.
-I look good in one, though. -(laughs)
Yeah.
(both laugh)
(chuckles)
Yo.
This liver thing, it's not being an astronaut,
but you still get to throw things into space, right?
Yeah. Yeah.
So how about we get a little barbeque...
a couple of beers...
and we toast to lasers in space, huh?
-All right, all right. -Let's do that.
FOREMAN: Hey, Beto!
You missed a couple of rows, man!
I didn't!
Yeah, you did.
-I didn't. -You probably did. You probably did.
-I did, okay. -FOREMAN: Finish it, man!
(José laughs)
I guess I'll have to go back, man.
-Okay. -(laughs): Yeah.
I just think it's great that I get to be so freaking proud
and have no idea what you're talking about, cousin.
I'm gonna miss you, man.
Hey, it's not like I'm going anywhere. I'm staying right here.
That's not the point.
You're out of here.
You're going to a place with a job, a title
and respect.
(in Spanish): Engineer!
(in English): Unbelievable, man.
-Hey, Beto. -Huh?
I'll help you with those couple last rows...
and we'll go get some beers.
Okay, okay.
-You ready for this? -Yeah, yeah.
Look, you don't have to scream, you know?
-I'm with my cousin. -Yeah.
I want you to xerox these, two copies each page,
then archive them in the basement.
That's a... that's a lot of copies.
-There's like a thousand copies. -Yeah.
Do you think that maybe there's a...
there might be a-a better way to use my time?
This is a good way to use your time.
Oh. (grunts)
You got mail.
Ah.
It's a waste of time.
Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
♪ ♪
(opens envelope)
(paper crumpling)
(in Spanish): Do you want some enchiladas, mijo?
No, Mommy.
(in English): Maybe you want to take them for work tomorrow?
No, that-- I'm-I'm okay.
(Julia chuckles softly)
(in Spanish): Your sister said that she met a nice girl for you.
(in English): Ma, please.
We're not gonna be around forever, you know?
And then what are you gonna do? Hmm?
Grow old by yourself like some kind of-of-of...
(in Spanish): Mad scientist, or what?
(in English): Ma, please, not tonight. I'm...
Please, what?
Not today, okay? I mean, t-today was...
-Was what? -It was, it was overwhelming, okay?
Overwhelming?
(Julia shouting angrily)
(in Spanish): And then you can tell me what's overwhelming!
You even give him a reward beer!
Go inside!
You're going to catch a cold.
SALVADOR: A storm's coming up.
(in English): I don't want my trees to get ruined.
(grunts)
You spend all day driving that car.
(laughs)
Back and forth, no?
From the fields to the cannery.
And then what do you do when you get home?
Ah, you work some more.
(in Spanish): You can take the farmer out of the field,
but you can't take the field out of the farmer.
Help me with the tree.
Come on!
(Salvador sighs)
There you go!
Isn't she a beauty?
(sighs)
(in English): How are you doing, mijo?
Ah. I don't know.
-Things could be easier. -Ey.
(in Spanish): Well, you already know:
Hard work or nothing.
(in English): And you could be proud of me.
I mean, I'm an engineer.
I'm not some, like, janitor or something.
What if you were?
-What's wrong with being a janitor? -No, there's nothing wrong with it,
but it's not, like, rocket science.
You're still trying to figure out ingredient number one, mijo.
What's your goal?
Huh?
You have a long way to go.
You know everything your mother and me did for you, right?
No, I know.
-No, I know... -Everything we gave up?
-No, I know everything. I know. -Gil.
-Chava. Lety. -No, I know. No, I know everything.
I know you lost the house in Michoacán because of me.
Okay?
Do you have to bring it up every single time we have a beer?
It just gets heavy.
(sighs heavily)
(in Spanish): Then get stronger.
(in English): We gave up the house.
It was for your education.
("True" by Spandau Ballet playing over radio)
♪ I know this much is true ♪
♪ I know this... ♪
What's that?
Nothing.
(in Spanish): Mom wants to know if you want enchiladas for tomorrow.
(in English): I already told her no.
I don't want to be known as the enchiladas guy at work.
So, thank you.
Oh. Oh.
Okay, I see.
What do you mean, you see?
Nothing. I just see.
Can you get out of here, please?
LOGAN: We're about to detonate a nuclear bomb
with an X-ray laser
and hope that it emits rays in the right energy levels
for the correct amount of time in the precise direction necessary.
I want this test to run flawlessly.
Prove the skeptics wrong and keep our funding while we're at it.
(mouth full): Okay. That is a big sandwich.
♪ This land is your land ♪
♪ This land is my land... ♪
JOSÉ: Come on. It's a 30-year-old car.
BETO: It's a 20-year-old car.
And it's El Impala.
Think about all the adventures that we lived together in this car.
You know, I think...
I think you're trying to forget who you are, huh?
(sighs) Man.
You think this defines me?
Huh? It's a gas guzzler.
It's got more miles than the Enterprise.
I don't know, man.
It feels like betrayal.
It hurts me.
It's in pretty good shape.
-All things considered. -Right on.
Take this to my manager, see what she says.
Okay.
-I think you could walk out of here with a real good deal. -(chuckles)
JOSÉ: I like that.
♪ This land is your land ♪
♪ This land is... ♪
Looks good, Mary.
-Hey, you got a second? -I'll be right back.
All right.
BETO: That's how they get you, yo.
You give up your soul for...
a bowl of damned Doritos.
(scoffs)
(sighs)
ADELA: I think you're gonna be
really happy with this vehicle.
It has great mileage, nice sporty ride.
It's a great investment all the way around.
-Yeah, let's do it. -Great.
I will get started on this right away.
(Adela clears throat)
(sighs): Bueno.
Uh, sir?
-Sit. Please. -Oh.
(clears throat) Okay.
Hey, did I see you in the fields a-a while ago?
Uh, yeah. I sometimes help my father.
Yeah, I help my dad, too, yeah.
Cool.
Here are your keys.
Oh.
Wow, I just... I just bought a new car.
Yes, you did. Congratulations.
I didn't know, um...
I'm José.
-I'm Adela. -Adela.
So what kind of car did I buy?
I-I was, I was distracted, you know? I was confused.
Oh, you don't know what kind of car you just bought?
-No, I could've... -You want to look at the paperwork?
No, I could've got a delivery truck, for all I know.
-Oh, you did. -(laughs)
You bought an old UPS truck.
Oh!
(chuckles) Doors sold separately.
(laughs): Oh.
(both laugh)
Ah.
Um...
I know, I know this... I mean, this is awkward, but...
and you're in the middle of, uh, work and everything, but, uh...
You know, if at some point, like...
You know, it doesn't have to be, like, a, like, a...
You know, doesn't have to be, like, official or, like, a...
Ah, forget it.
Well, I would love to go on a date with you
in your dusty old delivery truck, but, uh...
I don't think it's going to happen.
-Sign here. -Yeah. Uh, yeah.
Because you would have to meet my father first.
Oh! Hey.
No, I'm-I'm good with dads.
Good.
(chuckles): Then at your own risk, José.
♪ A full commitment's what I'm thinking of ♪
♪ You wouldn't get this from any other guy ♪
♪ I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling ♪
♪ Gotta make you understand ♪
(singing along): ♪ Never gonna give you up, never gonna... ♪
(music playing over TV)
I am so sorry for what's about to happen.
-Wait, what? -Please don't run away.
(man speaking Spanish over TV)
(TV continues playing)
ADELA: It's so nice tonight. (chuckles)
It's good weather.
(Adela clears throat)
(Adela sighs)
(in Spanish): Godmother, how can you say that?
MERCEDES: My husband is going to arrive soon.
Are you hungry?
(in English): Uh, no, no, I'm... I'm glad I get to meet the...
-I'm glad I, uh, get to meet everybody. -(kids arguing)
(in Spanish): Yes, you're right.
Stop it, kids!
(in English): So, the Pátzcuaro Hernández or the Uruapan Hernández?
(in Spanish): From La Piedad.
-(in English): Avocados or limes? -ADELA: Avocados.
(quietly): Having fun? Are you...
Avocados?
(in Spanish): Oh, cousin!
(in English): What does that have to do with anything?
(clicks tongue, sighs)
(in Spanish): What do people grow in Michoacán?
-(stammers) Uh... -ADELA (in English): They're stupid.
(in Spanish): Corn.
-(in English): Alfalfa. -(chuckles): Alfalfa, right.
WOMAN (in Spanish, over TV): It's Lola la Trailera.
Don't let her through.
(Adela speaking Spanish)
ADELA (in Spanish): Grandpa!
(woman screaming over TV)
My husband is going to arrive soon.
It's because he had a long shift today.
GERARDO: Ay-yi.
Good evening!
(door closes)
-Hello, Dad. -Hello, my girl.
Dad, José.
José, my dad.
-Hello, sir... -No, no, no.
Don't get up. I see you're all settled.
Ah, okay.
Sit down. You must be tired.
Oh, yeah.
I'm guessing that you haven't talked about
the intentions you have with my daughter.
-Dad! -Honey!
Well, because let me explain:
My daughter
is not allowed to go out on dates and that kind of things.
Dad...
Did you tell him?
Of course, Uncle.
GERARDO: But look, if you want to visit her,
you will always be welcome,
-but I have to be present. -Oh.
So, I hope that
you will not be that early, like today.
-ADELA (in English): Oh, my God. -Ah.
(in Spanish): Yeah.
(in English): I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to put you through the Spanish Inquisition.
Oh, no, don't worry, no. Hey, I mean, it-it was fine.
It was fun.
Okay.
You know, they're really nice. Deep down.
Oh, yeah, no. Yeah, yeah.
I think you just intimidate them.
-I intimidate them? -Mm-hmm.
-Oh, is that why they were sweating? -(chuckles)
Because of me?
I thought it was because of the hot sauce, no?
(Adela laughs)
No, I think it was because...
you're an engineer.
I thought that nerds didn't intimidate anybody.
GERARDO (in distance): Adela!
(Adela clicks tongue)
Adela!
(in Spanish): I'm coming!
(in English): I'm sorry. I have to go.
Oh, no, no, it's... Don't worry about it.
I'll be back.
-GERARDO (in Spanish): Adela, get inside! -(clicks tongue)
-(in English): I have to go. -Yeah.
No, no, yeah. I know.
-He keeps calling your name. -Yeah.
I'm sorry.
No, you're good.
This was fun. This was a lot of fun.
-I had fun, too. -Yeah.
-I have to go. -I know, I know. Yeah.
Yeah, you got to go, huh?
Yeah.
(copier whirring)
("Whip It" by Devo playing)
Sir.
-Sir? -Not now.
All right. Sir, this is important.
-I-I may have found something. -Not now, Hernández.
Sir!
STACEY: Oh! Room 542 needs a cleaning.
Just whenever you get a chance.
♪ Crack that whip ♪
♪ Give the past a slip ♪
♪ Step on a crack ♪
♪ Break your mama's back ♪
♪ When a problem comes along ♪
♪ You must whip it ♪
♪ Before the cream sets out too long ♪
♪ You must whip it ♪
♪ When something's going wrong ♪
♪ You must whip it ♪
♪ Now whip it ♪
♪ Into shape ♪
♪ Shape it up ♪
♪ Get straight ♪
♪ Go forward ♪
♪ Move ahead ♪
♪ Try to detect it ♪
♪ It's not too late ♪
♪ To whip it ♪
♪ Whip it good ♪
-♪ When a good time turns around ♪ -♪ You must whip it... ♪
-(knock on door) -(song stops abruptly)
What the hell are you doing?
-How did you get in here? -I have keys.
Why do you have keys to the lab?
Well, sir, I have keys to every room in the building, sir.
The receptionist thinks that I'm a janitor, so she-she gave me keys.
He's supposed to be making copies, sir.
LOGAN: And instead you're doing, uh...
Wh-What is all this?
Well, I-I just wanted to put some concern through a test.
-A concern? -Yes, sir.
Run a bunch of tests. All the numbers here.
See, the system works by measuring the-the...
the brightness of the beryllium detector once it's lit by the, by the laser.
But these detectors are being heated by the explosion itself,
so, you know, it-it's giving you a higher frequency, which is the-the wrong reading.
So, unless they're calibrated separately,
there's no way of knowing if the...
ah, if the signal that they're producing is caused by a laser or by the explosion.
Sir, I, uh...
i-if I may, I, uh...
W-We can offer a-a containment unit, so we can isolate the laser
and, uh, thus giving us a... a better reading of the beryllium detector.
At least it would be m-more consistent 'cause it wouldn't...
interact with the...
We would minimize the interaction with the explosion.
And you mean to tell me that no one has caught this before?
WEISSBERG: That is highly unlikely, sir.
I want you all to stay here and run these numbers for me again.
-Is that clear? -Sir, I...
Is that clear, Weissberg?
Yes, sir.
You can check the numbers, but they're correct.
(men murmuring)
♪ ♪
-Hi. -JOSÉ: Hey.
So, I'm not the new guy.
No, I am a new guy, but, um, I'm not a janitor.
I'm a... I'm an engineer.
Not that there's anything wrong with it.
Right, Steve?
I like Steve.
He's a good guy. He's cool.
-Very cool. -Yeah.
-But he might need these. -(stammers)
(in Spanish): Hey, guys,
why don't you say whatever you have to say
because my husband is about to arrive.
Mom!
(in English): Your mom's really cool.
Yeah.
And she likes you. I can tell.
-She likes the nerd? -(laughs)
Yeah.
But, you know, you're... a different kind of nerd.
Huh.
Well, you strike me as, uh...
I don't know, like, uh... eager.
-Eager? -Yeah.
Yeah. I guess I am eager.
So, d-do you have a dream?
Huh?
Like a...
Do you have, do you have, like, a goal?
-A goal? -Yeah.
Like, my dad says, uh, you know,
it's good to-to focus on something, like a, like a goal.
I want to be a chef.
That's my goal.
I want to have my own restaurant.
-Yeah? -Sí. Sí.
-Pero, like, authentic, you know? -Uh-huh.
Like a real restaurant.
(in Spanish): Food from Michoacán.
(in English): Not some burrito place. Come.
(Adela clears throat)
I would, um, um... I would put money on it.
(Adela laughs)
Cool.
So?
What's your big goal?
Dream, whatever.
(José sighs)
Uh...
Well...
(chuckles): Ah, it's stupid.
-No, you can't do that. -Do what?
You can't do that.
-Do what? -You were gonna say something.
And I told you mine. I was vulnerable.
-(laughs) -You know?
Come on. I want to... I want to get to know you.
Please.
I want to be an astronaut.
(Adela laughing)
Oh, my God.
You're serious.
Okay.
You mean, like...
-(exhales sharply) -Yeah, no, it's stupid. I know, yeah.
No.
I just didn't...
I didn't expect you to say that. That's all.
Okay?
It's not stupid at all.
Wow, that's actually amazing.
And I feel really unambitious now. (laughs)
-No, no, no, no. -I want to be a chef.
A dream is a dream, you know?
Yeah.
Well...
stop by my joint for unos tamales on your way back from Mars.
(both laugh)
-I'll give you a discount. -I will do.
Hey, can I ask you something?
Yeah.
What does a nerd have to do to...
...to be alone with you one day?
("Querida" by Juan Gabriel playing)
Well...
(in Spanish): Son of a gun...
(song continues with lyrics in Spanish)
(guests cheering)
(Adela laughs)
(applause)
(cheering continues)
(laughing)
♪ ♪
(singing along in Spanish)
(Adela crying)
Hola, Julio.
No. (laughing)
(crying)
(arguing quietly in Spanish)
(Adela laughing)
♪ ♪
ADELA: Julio.
(speaking Spanish)
(in English): It's okay.
Yeah.
Julio. Julio, no.
-Put it back, please. -Jump into the van. Jump into the van.
-(imitating engine) -Julio, please put it back.
-They're taking off without you. -José, I'm not kidding.
I want that frame in one piece. Do not break it again.
-T-minus five, four... -What are you doing?
...three, two...
(imitates rocket whooshing, buzzing)
Are you getting home on time from work?
-Why? -I have an appointment.
Where?
I have an appointment to see an old shop for the restaurant.
-Shop? -Yes.
No, avoid it, avoid it!
-Yes, it could work. -(imitating rocket)
I think it's really nice.
Have you, have you, uh, chosen a name yet?
Yes, I'm thinking my mother's name.
Ooh, that's nice.
-Oh, no! Oh, no, there's a big meteor! -"Ooh, that's nice."
Ah, it's huge! It's huge!
Ah, you're just avoiding it!
You avoided it! (grunting)
-Don't forget the diapers on your way home. -(glass clinks)
-I won't. -What did I hear?
What did I just hear?
♪ ♪
-Okay. -Bye.
JOSÉ: Can anybody tell me what this is?
No, Gutiérrez.
It's not a doughnut with sprinkles.
It's an object being beamed by an array of X-rays.
Anybody tell me what this is?
Anyone?
Weissberg?
-It's a square. -It's a square.
LOGAN: Got something for you.
The Highly Enriched Uranium Program.
In a shell, the U.S. is buying nuclear materials from the Russians,
bringing it to America's power plants.
They're sending the best from all the national labs to Siberia to help oversee.
Do you have a suitcase and a good jacket?
I do. I do.
You know, a job like this would look pretty damn good
in an application for the space program.
(crickets chirping)
JOSÉ: Hey, I'm sorry I'm late. (sighs)
I promise I'll take you to the shop tomorrow.
What is this?
Say something.
I... I was gonna tell you.
Okay, good, because I just want to get it straight.
Like, you actually applied six times...
-Yeah. -...to the space program
and you never once thought I wanted to know?
I just thought I should give it a shot.
A shot? No, José.
This is... actually, this is one, two,
three, four, five.
This is six shots over six years.
No, it just-- It's a stupid dream.
-It's just... -It's a stupid dream?
Yeah, I mean...
You want to know what I think is a stupid dream?
-What? -The dream of trusting your partner.
Why didn't you tell me about this?
Because it's never gonna happen.
That's not an answer.
Why wouldn't you share with your wife--
okay?--
the fact that you want to go to space?
(stammers) I did tell you.
No, you mentioned it on a date years ago, and I thought you were joking.
I laughed in your face.
Adela, I got rejected six times.
-What if you hadn't? -Yeah, but I did.
-And I was gonna tell you. -Okay.
You were gonna tell me? When were you gonna tell me?
You were gonna make a collect call from space?
Why can't you just be proud of me?
You want me to be proud of you?
The restaurant is a big deal to me.
And you don't care.
But you want me to be proud of you.
Where are the diapers?
("Smile Now, Cry Later" by Sunny & The Sunliners playing)
BETO: You know they put the diapers by the beer
because it's depressed dads that come in the middle of the night and buy them.
Stupid.
♪ Smile now, cry later ♪
♪ For you... ♪
JOSÉ: She's so fixated on this restaurant thing, you know,
and she went too far.
-BETO: Mm. -They're only applications.
BETO: Maybe she just wants to be in the loop, man.
You got a beautiful family that loves you
and put up with your crap.
What more do you want, man?
You made it.
It's not because you ditched El Impala.
-Again with the Impala, huh? -(sighs)
Yeah, what's the deal with space?
I don't know.
Maybe I just want to keep my hands off the ground.
(chuckles, scoffs)
Tell me something.
Who better than a migrant?
Somebody that knows what it's like
to dive into the unknown.
Who better than that...
...to dare leave this planet, man?
Be grateful.
Go home.
-(door closes) -(song stops)
JOSÉ: Adelita.
I'm sorry, okay?
ADELA: How big is this...
space idea?
JOSÉ: Hey, it's silly.
ADELA: José.
How big is it?
JOSÉ: I think about it every day.
Every hour.
I can't stop thinking about it.
(Adela sighs)
I refuse to be the oblivious,
permanently annoyed, whining wife.
So don't put me there.
Yeah.
I take you seriously.
You're an engineer.
A good one.
You're doing great things at Livermore.
And I am so...
so proud of you.
I don't think it's stupid to apply to NASA.
I'm going to ask you a question,
and I want you to give me an honest answer, okay?
Okay. (sniffs)
Those people who got into the program the last six years...
...what do they have that you don't?
(sighs)
I mean, they're mostly Caucasian.
They have skills that I don't have.
But training for those skills, I mean, it takes money.
Forget about that. We have savings.
What do they have that you don't have?
(steam whistling)
Well, the last batch of candidates were chosen from 12,962 applicants.
Now, some are from the military. Some hold PhDs.
They're scientists, engineers.
I mean, there's some teachers.
Oh, and there's-there's, you know, pilots, lots and lots of pilots.
(jet engine whirring)
Uh, really good ones, too.
(in Spanish): Money!
(in English): A'ight, man, let's do this.
This is up.
-This is down. -(groans)
(jet engine whirring)
JOSÉ: And, you know, they have success in high-performance hobbies
like running, swimming, triathlon, uh, tennis, weightlifting.
Some of them are just, like, outright athletes.
(tires screech)
One of the guys is a deep-sea diver who's logged more than 700 dives.
(lively chatter)
So diving is key, you know?
(muffled grunting)
♪ ♪
Talk about a midlife crisis.
♪ ♪
(speaking indistinctly)
And then the other skill is, you know, they speak Chinese, French, German.
But of course, the most important one is...
ADELA: They're white.
(chuckles): No.
About that Russian program.
No, no, they speak Russian.
(groans)
-I feel like a drifting zeppelin. -(José chuckles)
-Julio. -No, no, no. (speaks Spanish)
Don't laugh at me.
-(baby crying) -Oh, Karina.
Karina.
-Karina. Karina. -(crying continues)
♪ ♪
(baby crying)
-(baby crying) -(kids laughing and chattering)
ADELA: Julio. Breakfast!
(in Spanish): Mom!
(in English): Where is Papa?
-(baby crying) -(indistinct chatter over TV)
(sighs): Okay.
(grunts)
Where is Papa?
♪ ♪
Turn right to course three-one-zero and descend to 5,000 feet.
JOSÉ: It's taken them years to get where they are,
and they could be good at all those things, but there's no guarantee.
You know we're still on the ground, right?
You'll be up when you're ready.
JOSÉ: So, I can get good
and get better
and then get even better
and still...
get rejected.
(baby crying in distance)
ADELA: I think you should do it.
(in Spanish): But what's going to happen with the restaurant?
(in English): Are you saying that in Spanish to make it easier?
Is it working?
No. (laughs)
(chuckles)
I mean, but we're gonna spend every penny.
We grew up watching our people make sacrifices.
It's on us now.
-(baby crying in distance) -(dog barking outside)
(sighs heavily)
I'm coming, baby.
(exhales sharply)
♪ ♪
(sighs) You know you're gonna have to go to Russia.
That's cold.
(indistinct chatter)
PILOT: Flight 317 service to Moscow.
Prepare cabin for departure.
We have two-three-seven inbound,
at which point we'll continue our flight protocol and program.
Stand by for clearance from our land coordinator.
MAN (in Russian): As the Enriched Uranium Transparency Program
gets underway,
we welcome American volunteer José Hernández.
He will be staying with us for the next six months.
JOSÉ (in English): Hey, I'm sorry. I-I feel...
I should've been there. This... this sucks.
ADELA: I know.
But we knew this would suck.
I just... I feel...
ADELA (over phone): José, it was quick.
I started having contractions and called Mom.
I barely made it to the hospital.
Now, I should've drove you to the hospital.
Babies come when they come.
That's how it is.
-How are the kids? -(chuckles softly)
They're fine.
Mom took them.
-They must be terrorizing your dad. -(laughs): Yeah.
I hope so.
(grunts, sighs)
How is Siberia?
(speaks Russian)
(chuckles): What-what are you saying?
Oh, just, "Hi. How are you?"
(Adela laughs)
-(baby fussing) -Wait, is that him?
Yeah.
-Can you put him on the phone? -Hold on.
-(baby cooing) -(Adela speaking Spanish)
ADELA (in Spanish): Do you want to talk to your dad?
(in English): Is he on the phone?
Yeah.
-Go ahead. -Hi.
(in Spanish): Hi, Antonio.
How are you, buddy?
Are you taking care of your mom, canijo?
-(crying) -ADELA: Oh.
JOSÉ (in English): You have to take care of her, okay?
She's tough.
She's a tough one, but that's why we have to protect her.
She makes a lot of sacrifices for us.
I love her very much.
And I love you, too, okay?
I've been thinking.
Yeah?
I don't think you should mail in this application.
♪ ♪
(quiet chatter)
JOSÉ (mispronounces): Mr. Sturckow.
Sturckow.
-S-Sturckow. Mr. Sturckow. -Yeah.
-I'm José Hernández. -(shakes hand)
-José Hernández. -Yes, sir.
Oh. Oh.
What are you doing here?
Uh, well, I-I, um, I-I decided
to personally bring in my application this year.
Oh.
-Where'd you fly in from? -Uh, Stockton, California, sir.
-You could've just mailed it. -(stammers) I-- Yeah.
(laughs)
I-I could've, but, uh, I-I wanted to-to meet you
and hand it to you personally.
(sighs softly)
All right, Hernández.
This is gonna be your 11th attempt?
And I appreciate your persistence,
and I thank you for coming all the way down here,
-but I really wish you'd have saved yourself the airfare... -Sir, sir.
Sir, sir, if I may, if I may.
This is my strongest application yet.
And this would be my... my 12th attempt, not my 11th.
Okay. Let's hear it.
-I'm sorry, sir? -What's changed?
-What's different this time? -I...
Over the course of the last ten years, uh,
every academic, professional and personal decision I've made,
I've made with the space program in mind.
-Sure. -I have my master's in electrical engineering.
I, uh...
I'm a pilot now with over 800 hours under my belt.
I have my scuba diving certificate.
-I just ran the San Francisco Marathon. -Wow.
And I speak Russian, sir.
I... I-I... In fact, I volunteered to travel to Siberia
as part of the transparency program for the U.S. Department of Energy.
I'm the father of...
(voice breaking): ...five most perfect children
and the husband of, uh, the most incredible wife,
who threatened to leave me if I didn't come here today.
Um, I've applied 12 times, and, yes, sir, I've-I've been on the verge of giving up
after each and every rejection, but you know what, sir?
Here I am.
So you can turn me down again,
but rest assured, I'll be standing here again in a year.
All right, Mr. Hernández.
Thank you, sir.
Travel safe.
("La Cama de Piedra" by Cuco Sánchez playing)
-No cheating! -(playful chatter)
(kids clamoring)
(song continues with lyrics in Spanish)
(in Spanish): What do you know about butterflies?
Did you know that they just weigh a single gram?
-Didn't you know? -No, no, no.
Nature is truly a wonder.
(speaking Spanish)
Bring the plates, mija.
Please.
And also the napkins.
(lively Spanish chatter)
That's how they survive.
So, all of us are butterflies.
We are not grasshoppers.
(laughter)
(playful chatter, laughter)
(in English): You can't be cheating like that, bro.
Dude, you missed it, man.
Hey, Beto, your daughter is here.
Language.
Hey, Karina. Hey, Karina.
Oy, you animal.
Hi! I got it, I got it.
Thank you. Have a nice day.
José!
♪ ♪
I got in.
(Adela laughing)
(both laughing)
No.
(laughing)
(song ends)
I got in.
(cheering, excited chatter)
-(excited shouting) -GIL: He's my brother!
BETO: I can't, I can't accept that.
I can't.
Just take it.
(laughs): It's a gift.
-(Salvador sniffles) -JOSÉ: Just take it.
BETO: I can't, I can't, man.
-BETO: No. I can't. -JOSÉ: All right, here, here, here.
-Just take it. -I can't accept that, man.
-Dude, just take it. -I-I can't. No.
-All right. Hey. (laughs) -I can't-- Stop.
(Beto sighs)
(speaks Spanish)
All right, Beto.
All right. Enjoy, yeah?
♪ ♪
Hey, cousin.
Are you sure, bro?
(sighs)
Yeah.
Go.
I'll see you later.
(truck horn plays "La Cucaracha")
(in Spanish): Leave the truck alone and come help us!
Help me with the table...
("Contrabando Y Traición" by Los Tigres del Norte playing, lyrics in Spanish)
(song continues over stereo)
(music volume increases)
ADELA (sighs, in English): Okay.
♪ ♪
STURCKOW: You should know that the program
will be especially taxing on your families.
The sacrifices they're about to make on your behalf
go beyond anything that you or they can imagine.
It's also important that you understand this does not in any way guarantee
you'll be selected for a space mission.
Still a long shot.
And most candidates don't make it through the full training.
You have to tip us, cousin.
-ADELA: Yeah, yeah. -Oh, yeah, yeah.
STURCKOW: But at the same time, it's important you not lose sight
that you've been chosen from tens of thousands.
If we want you here, it's because you're one of the very few
highly skilled, extraordinary people on this planet
that we deem capable of flying a rocket into space.
Today's the first day in a long journey for you.
It's gonna change you more than you thought possible.
It's gonna change you forever.
But it won't be easy.
You're gonna push yourself past your own limits,
you'll work as a team, and you'll struggle alone.
And on either side of you are your new brothers and sisters.
Welcome.
K.C.
Got something to say?
Uh, hi, guys.
I'm Kalpana Chawla, but some people around here call me K.C.
Uh, I've been around here a while,
I've been up to space once before,
and I'll be in charge of your mock-up training.
♪ ♪
Your training is all about building muscle memory.
It's about putting your body through conditions
similar to those you would find in space.
As soon as those engines cut off and you get to zero gravity,
you will feel disoriented.
You will feel like you're actually falling.
It'll all be silence.
(kids clamoring, banging on table)
It's about the body and the mind.
(indistinct radio chatter)
What we're trying to accomplish here is dangerous.
Having a clear mind during an emergency is imperative.
(over comm): The safety divers are there to assist you if needed.
Don't fight the suit, Hernández.
(busy chatter)
MAN: Assume your directives.
Get the medic on deck and ready.
Take him out.
Take him out right now.
(coughs)
(panting)
MAN: Uh, understood.
Just let him know I'll be around later if he wants to go through another session.
We got you, sir. Over here.
-I got you. -KALPANA: Steady, Hernández.
You okay?
(indistinct radio chatter)
(quiet chatter)
ADELA (over phone): Ay, that sounds awful.
JOSÉ: Yeah.
It was awful.
ADELA: Listen, Julito needs you to help him with his science project.
JOSÉ: (sighs) Okay.
I'm just letting you know.
Okay.
Babe, I'm sorry, but I think I'm gonna be home late again.
Training.
(sighs) Okay.
Did the plumber come today?
(in Spanish): Dad?
Hey, mijo.
(in English): You should be asleep by now.
Can I show you my Earth?
Your Earth?
Ah, your science project.
Doesn't work, huh?
Yeah.
I used a 13-watt light bulb and wired it from behind.
Mamá helped.
She's a very good cook, not a very good electrician.
-Yeah, at least she tried, huh? -Mm-hmm.
Beautiful.
See?
We're right here.
Right.
We're right there.
All right, go back to sleep.
I'm sorry for not being here to help you.
That's okay.
(in Spanish): Hey, Dad...
(in English): Yeah?
Why do you want to go to space so bad?
I don't know.
Go to sleep.
Is everything okay?
(José sighs)
Look, I know this is hard on everybody.
I'm busting my ***. My body hurts. I can't sleep.
I know I can make this work.
I just... I have to be at my best.
I, I, I.
(in Spanish): Me, me, me...
(in English): Are you listening to yourself?
-Everything is always about... -What? About me?
(Adela sighs)
Look.
We can hardly catch sight of you.
I'm sorry.
(phone ringing)
(guitar playing gentle music)
Hello?
Wait, what?
(singing "Deja Que Salga la Luna," lyrics in Spanish)
(song continues)
JULIA: He was just coming home from a late shift.
SALVADOR (in Spanish): It was an accident.
(in English): Wrong place, wrong time.
That wasn't an accident.
That was a shoot-out.
There's way too many accidents around here.
(song continues)
(quiet murmuring)
(exhales sharply)
♪ ♪
(song ends)
When are you going to space?
(stammers softly)
He always told me he was sure you were going.
He knew you felt bad for him because he didn't go to school
or do any fancy stuff like you did.
-No, that's not true. -It's okay.
Don't feel bad.
But now you have to honor him and make it to space.
(chuckles softly)
(voice breaking): That sounds like something Beto would say.
(in Spanish): I loved your father very much.
(José crying softly)
(jet engine roaring)
STURCKOW (over comm, in English): Whoa. What are we gonna do about you, Hernández?
-You want to earn that blue suit or not? -Yes, sir.
STURCKOW: Do you know where we are?
JOSÉ: Uh, we're 35 miles north of Houston
at 23,000 feet, on course two-one-zero, except now down is up and up is down.
STURCKOW: (laughs) Good.
-Now show me how to land this thing. -Yes, sir.
Cleared to Richmond via vectors to Houston,
fly runway heading, down 6,000 feet,
approach one-two-zero-point-nine.
Thank you.
STURCKOW: Now release your mic, Hernández. Your mic is still hot.
-JOSÉ: Yeah. -Release the mic, Hernández.
JOSÉ: Oh, it's stuck, sir.
STURCKOW: What do you mean, it's stuck? It can't be-- Just let it go.
You're tying up the tower.
JOSÉ: I'm trying, sir.
MAN (over radio): NASA-959, clear the line immediately.
-JOSÉ: I-I can't. The button's stuck. -STURCKOW: Release the mic, Hernández.
JOSÉ: I'm trying, sir!
(Sturckow groans)
-Sir... -MAN: NASA-959, you've got traffic on your right.
JOSÉ: We're at three o'clock, sir!
Three o'clock!
Traffic now!
(jet engine roaring)
JOSÉ: Hey, sir?
Uh, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again, sir.
Right it won't.
We're not in flight school anymore, Hernández.
You're light-years behind the rest of the pack.
Just get with it or step aside.
KALPANA: How are they doing?
Oh, I'd be lying if I told you I knew. Uh...
It was good that you admitted your mistake.
That's well appreciated at NASA.
Is it worth it?
You know, like... everything.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah?
Everything looks so pretty from up there.
It's as though the whole place is sacred.
The atmosphere looks like ribbons of different colors hugging the Earth.
And it looks so fragile.
Such a small planet with so much going on.
We think we control everything.
Our lives, our dreams.
We get exhausted. We make sacrifices.
We think it's about wanting it hard enough.
But life is mysterious, you know?
Here's the thing, though.
Once that ignition sequence starts,
we only have each other.
That matters.
What you learned today matters.
I'm going back up.
You're looking at the mission specialist for the upcoming STS-107 flight.
-Con-Congratulations. -Thanks.
Congratulations.
-Thanks. -Wow.
Do you know how important it is that someone like you or I jump on this ride?
I, too, had to work so hard.
Tenacity is a superpower.
STURCKOW: You're gonna be submerged upside down without oxygen.
(indistinct radio chatter)
Don't become disoriented, and remember to work as a team.
(back-up alarm beeping)
Helo Dunker down.
Imagine going through your house and everything's upside down.
(indistinct radio chatter continues)
Remain buckled in until you hit bottom.
The safety divers, they're only there as a precaution.
I expect you and your teammates to safely exit without their assistance.
You must exit as a team to successfully complete the training.
No, hold off.
Any assistance from the divers will disqualify you.
MAN: Are we clear to extract them?
-MAN 2: Let's get 'em out. -MAN 3: Let's pull 'em.
-Sir? -Not yet.
Come on.
(chuckles): All right.
Everybody good?
We're gonna try this again next week.
Next time, blindfolded.
Good job.
("Más Allá del Sol" by Joan Sebastian playing, lyrics in Spanish)
(song continues louder)
-(food sizzling) -(lively chatter)
(in Spanish): Very good.
(in English): Here you are.
NEWSMAN (over TV): ...specialist one, David Brown;
-mission specialist two, Kalpana Chawla... -WOMAN: Hey, José,
when will that be you?
Uh, as soon as I'm done chopping those onions back there.
NEWSMAN: And, uh, take a look out your window. You might see something very cool.
Now, we're talking about something that is moving at a speed, uh, Mach 25,
25 times the speed of sound, uh, six or seven times...
-I don't see anything, Dad. -Oh, come here.
Keep looking. Keep looking. You'll catch it.
NEWSMAN: ...Space Shuttle Columbia. It has been out of communication now...
-Okay. Okay. -...for the past, uh, 12 minutes.
A seven-person crew on board.
-(indistinct mission radio chatter) -And, uh, hang on.
Let's listen in to James Hartsfield.
HARTSFIELD: Flight controllers continuing to stand by
to regain communications with the spacecraft.
NEWSMAN: Obviously some troubling news here about the Space Shuttle Columbia,
-as we haven't heard from it yet. -(mission radio chatter continues)
The time of... uh, right about at this moment.
HARTSFIELD: Flight director LeRoy Cain is now instructing controllers
to, uh, get out their contingency procedures
and, uh, begin to follow those.
NEWSMAN: And we do have picture of it passing over Dallas, Texas.
The entry of the space shuttle into the Earth...
I-I have to go.
JULIO: But I want to see the landing.
Uh, there's not gonna be a, uh...
-not gonna be a landing. -(TVs turn off)
-Here. -What?
Keep the... keep the TVs off.
NEWSMAN (over radio): ...what senior officials are telling us
is confirming what we've seen, uh, which is that the shuttle is, quote, "gone."
-(horn blaring) -Let's leave that at that. Michael Bohn.
The shuttle was about 200,000 feet above Central Texas when it broke up.
We can only imagine the debris field is
going to be rather, uh, spread out and extensive.
(fading): And, uh, we caution those of you who listen to us...
♪ ♪
STURCKOW: After a very thorough investigation,
we have concluded that during the launch of STS-107...
(clears throat)
...a piece of foam insulation broke off the external tank
and struck the left wing of the orbiter.
When Columbia reentered the atmosphere, (clears throat)
the damage allowed hot gases to penetrate the heat shield
and destroy the internal wing structure.
This caused the spacecraft to become unstable and to...
...and to break apart.
♪ ♪
(indistinct chatter over P.A.)
It comes as no surprise that these results
will bring added scrutiny from D.C.
If spaceflight can't be safe, then we shouldn't be doing it.
♪ ♪
JOSÉ: You think all that means I should... I should quit?
Kalpana said that, uh, life was mysterious.
I just didn't understand what she was saying then, you know?
But now...
ADELA: Good night.
(in Spanish): Good night.
Good night, mija.
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
(in English): Houston, ISS in sight.
MAN (over radio): Copy. Showing hot on our end.
JOSÉ: Initiating docking protocols.
MAN (over radio): Confirming. Got you at point-oh-six.
Okay, here we go. Now point-oh-nine.
Point-oh-niner.
GROUND CONTROLLER: José, you're coming in too hot.
Reduce speed or abort docking if necessary.
JOSÉ: Negative, Houston. No need to abort.
MAN (over radio): Optional override...
(alarm beeping)
GROUND CONTROLLER: José, your speed.
MAN (over radio): Uh, negative. He's on the stick. He's full manual.
JOSÉ: I got it, Houston.
Trust that I got it.
(alarm continues beeping)
(radio chatter continues indistinctly)
(spacecraft whirs and thumps)
(beeping stops)
Houston, we're docked and locked.
(over radio): Thank you for your patience.
STURCKOW: Nice work, Hernández.
-Thank you, sir. -Listen, uh...
folks down at the Selections Office would like to have a word.
Mm, wh-what for?
♪ ♪
-Hernández. -JOSÉ: Yes, sir.
Come.
-ANDERSON: Mr. Hernández. -(door closes)
I don't believe we've met.
I'm Flight Crew Program Director Anderson.
You're here today because, against our expectations,
NASA has cleared a new shuttle launch,
and we want to get things moving before Washington changes their mind.
We understand that the Columbia crew were your friends.
So we need to know:
Would you be up for the task?
Hernández, we need to hear out loud.
I'm sorry. Uh...
You're being assigned mission specialist number two.
You'll be right up front between me and the pilot.
That okay with you?
I've waited for almost 30 years, so...
("Michoacán" by Y La Bamba playing, lyrics in Spanish)
♪ ♪
(clears throat)
(glass shatters)
ANDERSON: It's my honor to present to you
the space shuttle mission Discovery's crew.
(in Spanish): Hey, Chava, move the antenna.
Yes, Dad.
ANDERSON (in English, over TV): One question at a time, please.
-REPORTER: Mr. Hernández. -JOSÉ: Yes.
REPORTER: Is it true that you grew up as a-a migrant farmworker in California?
Yeah, yeah.
Um, my parents came to this country, uh, looking for a better life,
and we picked...
well, I mean, we picked your food.
(in Spanish): Do you think they're going to let him
take some enchiladas to space?
It's a joke.
(laughter, murmuring)
(in English): You know, my cousin Beto...
(in Spanish): May he rest in peace.
(in English): ...uh, once told me,
"Who better to leave this planet to dive into the unknown
but a migrant farmworker?"
Um...
Are you joking with me?
-Is this a joke? -JOSÉ: What do you think?
I mean, should we do this?
I-I can call it off.
I told them I was gonna ask my wife first.
What? (laughs)
Oh, my God.
What do you think?
Hey, I told them that I would ask my wife first, okay?
(sobs softly)
What's the matter?
You know, the dishwasher didn't come.
(laughs)
I'm so proud of you.
(sighs)
(busy chatter)
♪ ♪
(song ends)
I think your ring should be with me.
It should be with mine.
I think they should be together.
If you lose this ring, I will kill you.
-Don't smile. -(chuckles)
Don't laugh. I mean it.
I will strangle you with my bare hands.
I believe it.
-I believe it. -Okay.
♪ ♪
JOSÉ: You know that the journey, uh, for the monarch butterfly is-is so long
that it takes it, uh,
generations to get there?
Know where I got that from?
(Salvador crying softly)
-You're not crying, are you, Pa? -No, nombre, no, no, no. No.
-Some dirt got into my eye. -(Julia and José laugh)
♪ ♪
(chuckling)
You look so handsome.
-You look beautiful. -Thank you.
How are you feeling?
(José sighs)
Doing good.
-Yeah? -Yeah.
Your parents brought you a surprise.
-Really? -Really.
(woman chuckles)
Well, hello there, young man.
-I don't know what to say. -(chuckles)
"Nice to see you, Miss Young."
I have been waiting for this moment for more than 30 years.
And I have proof.
(sighs): Ah.
Thank you.
(sniffles)
You changed my life.
♪ ♪
(crowd murmuring)
LAUNCH MANAGER (over TV): And here we see Commander Rick Sturckow,
a veteran of three spaceflights.
Pilot Kevin Ford is making his first spaceflight.
Giving a thumbs-up, there's Nicole Stott.
She's a mission specialist.
And José Hernández, mission specialist number two on the mission,
is making his first spaceflight.
He also will be the flight engineer on the flight deck,
-assisting the commander and pilot. -(singing in Spanish)
The crew has been given a briefing on the weather conditions here at Kennedy
and at all the contingency landing sites around the globe.
Weather is, uh, going to be a factor for us this evening
as we continue to monitor the formation of, uh, storm cells in the area.
This is shuttle launch control with our Phase-2 lightning alert rescinded.
The final inspection team on the launchpad surface
completing their inspection of the shuttle,
the external tank and pad surfaces.
Miss Young.
(in Spanish): Do you want a tequila?
(in English): Oh, no, no, thank you.
LAUNCH MANAGER: This is shuttle launch control.
The Spaceflight Meteorology Group
officially has a no-go weather forecast for return to launch site abort weather.
They're just following protocol. That's it.
(in Spanish): I know, but...
But what?
(sighs, in English): I know.
(in Spanish): Well...
(in English): What are you doing right now?
I'm looking at a picture of Salma Hayek.
-What? -(chuckles): Yeah, no.
The guys, they slipped it under the door,
and then they... you know, they fake signed it.
And-and it says... (chuckles)
it says, uh, "Thank you for going to space..."
-(Adela chuckling) -"...my hero."
(laughs) And then it says, "P.S.,"
uh, "if it doesn't work out with you and Adela, give me a call."
(Adela laughing)
You think she'd ever want to meet an astronaut?
She would be lucky.
You listen to me.
You go...
and you come back to Salma safely.
Please.
Yes, ma'am.
Okay.
(sighs)
Adelita.
(in Spanish): Yes.
(in English): Can you do me a favor?
Anything, baby.
Can you tell my dad I'm sorry that he lost the house in Michoacán?
♪ ♪
This is your future.
BETO: You've had love.
You've had chances.
People have believed in you.
JULIO (in Spanish): Hey, Dad...
(in English): Why do you want to go to space so bad?
ADELA: What do they have
that you don't?
♪ ♪
(Spanish radio chatter plays faintly)
DJ (in Spanish, over radio): Good morning! Cheer up, people.
-(pop music plays faintly and fades) -(knock on door)
MAN (in English): Mr. Hernández, we're ready for you.
LAUNCH MANAGER: This is shuttle launch control
at T-minus two hours, 57 minutes, 30 seconds and counting.
♪ ♪
(sighs)
♪ ♪
-(crowd cheering) -LAUNCH MANAGER: And here they come.
Down the hallway and, well...
A wave to the camera.
Big smiles on their faces.
Tonight may be the night.
It's about a 25-minute ride from the Operations and Checkout Building
to launchpad 39A.
This is shuttle launch control.
Space Shuttle Discovery's commander Rick Sturckow,
pilot Kevin Ford,
and mission specialist two and flight engineer José Hernández
are in the process of receiving a weather briefing from Mission Control in Houston.
(crowd murmuring)
We're optimistic that the, uh, weather that is currently affecting
the launchpad area and the Kennedy Space Center area
will not affect the... the crew's schedule this evening.
♪ ♪
(footsteps thumping heavily)
What's wrong?
(in Spanish): Grandpa.
-Are you okay? -Yes.
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
(in English): All right, good luck and Godspeed.
Thank you, dude.
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
(José breathes deeply)
♪ ♪
Thank you.
(breathing deeply)
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
(laughing)
(singing in Spanish): ♪ They left from San Isidro ♪
♪ Coming from Tijuana ♪
♪ They carried the car tires full of bad weed ♪
♪ They were Emilio Varela... ♪
♪ ♪
(door closes, echoes)
MAN (over radio, in English): Reducing boosters to 70%.
Uh, relaying stratification.
MAN 2 (over radio): ...system has been shut down.
External tank umbilical doors are kept closed.
WOMAN (over radio): All clear.
MAN 2 (over radio): The auxiliary tower units have been shut down.
MAN 3 (over radio): Prepare CAPCOM for throttle up.
WOMAN (over radio): Prepare for booster separation.
LAUNCH MANAGER: T-minus 27 seconds and counting.
(overlapping mission radio chatter continues)
Discovery's onboard computers are in primary control
-of all the vehicle's critical functions. -WOMAN: Captain Sturckow, you're cleared
-to begin final... -LAUNCH MANAGER: T-minus 18 seconds.
(rockets rumbling)
We have a go for main engine start.
-We have main engine start. -WOMAN: Main engine start.
-(steam hissing) -(metal rattling)
(rockets continue rumbling)
LAUNCH MANAGER and WOMAN: Five, four, three,
two, one, zero.
Booster ignition.
And liftoff of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
♪ ♪
And the shuttle has cleared the tower.
(metal rattling)
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
♪ ♪
(rattling and rumbling stop)
(exhales slowly)
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
MAN (over radio): ...steering on path to ISS.
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter)
♪ ♪
(indistinct mission radio chatter continues)
("El Hijo Del Pueblo" by José Alfredo Jiménez playing)
MAN (over radio): Houston, Discovery. We have stopped.
MAN 2 (over radio): Copy. We have stopped.
Welcome home, Discovery.
Congratulations on an extremely successful mission,
stepping up science to a new level on the International Space Station.
(song continues with lyrics in Spanish)
♪ ♪
(song ends)
♪ ♪
(music fades)