A Million Miles Away (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

José was inspired by the 1969 moon landings, which showed him that space was accessible to ordinary people. At just 10 years old, he saw the Apollo 11 mission as proof that someone from a humble background like his could reach outer space. This moment ignited a lifelong dream that he pursued despite immense obstacles.

Foreshadowing: The film opens with José as a young boy working in the fields, establishing the contrast between his humble origins and his cosmic ambitions.

• José Hernández astronaut dream
• moon landing inspiration
• childhood aspirations

After José's father received only partial wages for their work, he realized the family could not save enough money to buy a home in Mexico as they had hoped. This financial setback convinced them to stay in California permanently, marking a pivotal decision that ultimately gave José access to better educational opportunities.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, the family works tirelessly in the grapefields while dreaming of homeownership back in Michoacán.

• migrant family California
• wages farmworkers
• decision to settle

José identified a major flaw in the laboratory's sophisticated laser design, which was being developed to protect the USA from nuclear threats. His discovery earned him respect from his colleagues and transitioned him from doing menial tasks like photocopying to becoming a mentor who guided the researchers, including Weissberg who had previously overlooked him.

Foreshadowing: José's daily task of photocopying extensive documents gave him the opportunity to study the laser design closely enough to spot the flaw.

• laser technology breakthrough
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• engineering achievement

José was rejected twelve times because NASA traditionally favored applicants with backgrounds as pilots, military personnel, or athletes. When he applied, over 12,000 candidates competed for few spots, and his non-traditional profile as an engineer from a migrant farmworker background didn't match the typical astronaut candidate. He also lacked pilot experience and other qualifications that NASA prioritized.

Foreshadowing: After joining the lab, José notices he is often mistaken for the janitor despite his engineering degree, reflecting the stereotyping he would face.

• NASA rejections
• astronaut requirements
• non-traditional applicant

José's brother Beto was killed in a gang-related shooting, a devastating tragedy that caused José to lose focus during his astronaut training. This loss was particularly painful because Beto had remained working in the fields while José pursued his education, and he had always supported José's dreams with his inspirational words about a migrant farmworker's journey into the great unknown.

Foreshadowing: Earlier scenes show Beto continuing to work in the fields while José attends university, highlighting the different paths the brothers took.

• Beto death gang shooting
• José brother tragedy
• loss and perseverance

Kalpana Chawla was a fellow astronaut who spoke with José after Beto's death, providing him with crucial motivation during his darkest moment. She shared the profound purpose behind their arduous work, explaining that the rigorous training and pursuit of space exploration was about something greater than any individual, helping José reconnect with the meaning behind his journey.

Foreshadowing: José's training was already demanding, but this conversation reframed his struggles within a larger purpose.

• Kalpana Chawla motivation
• astronaut mentorship
• finding purpose

José personally delivered his twelfth application to veteran astronaut trainer Frederick Sturckow, demonstrating unprecedented determination. Before this, he had improved his qualifications by becoming a pilot, training extensively in diving, and learning Russian. His impressive persistence and enhanced credentials finally convinced Sturckow to accept him into the program.

Foreshadowing: José's wife Adela had encouraged him throughout twelve rejections, telling him to keep trying.

• NASA acceptance
• Frederick Sturckow
• astronaut program admission

In 2008, José was selected for STS-128 as a Mission Specialist. The shuttle docked with the International Space Station for 13 days, where José conducted experiments and became the first migrant farmworker in space. During the mission, he enjoyed tacos and listened to José Alfredo Jiménez's "El Hijo Del Pueblo," feeling deep gratitude for the journey that brought him from the fields to outer space.

Foreshadowing: The film builds toward this moment from José's childhood dream of becoming an astronaut.

• STS-128 mission
• International Space Station
• first farmworker in space

The Monarch Butterfly symbolized the family's pivotal decision to settle in California. On launch day, José recalled a moment when a Monarch Butterfly landed on his father's arm, a sign that marked when the family chose to remain in California rather than return to Mexico. This memory connected his space journey to the original sacrifice that made his dreams possible.

Foreshadowing: The butterfly appears early in the film as a symbolic moment of transition for the family.

• Monarch Butterfly symbolism
• family sacrifice
• California decision

Adela supported José by encouraging him to continue applying to NASA even after six rejections, reminding him of the depth of his ambitions. Though she sometimes mockingly doubted his dreams, she understood his determination and stood by him through years of training, rejections, and personal tragedy. She also ran a restaurant that José eventually secured a space for in the space station.

Foreshadowing: José meets Adela at a car dealership while trading in his Chevrolet Impala for a more subdued Mazda RX-7.

• Adela support husband
• family support astronaut dream
• wife encouragement