Moonshot

In 2049, Walt works as a college campus barista while relentlessly applying to the Kovi Industries Student Mars Program. He keeps a running tally of his 37 applications, hoping the program will be his ticket to Mars. The routine on campus blends his ordinary life with a persistent dream of colonizing Mars.

At a college party, Walt meets Sophie, whose boyfriend Calvin is on Mars. He also falls for Ginny, a student who is slated to be sent to Mars the next morning. The encounter plants the seeds of desire and danger as he navigates both relationships.

A few weeks later, Sophie arrives at Walt's cafe in tears because Calvin has chosen a longer stay on Mars. Walt convinces her to buy a ticket on the next shuttle and manipulates her into helping him sneak aboard. He even claims to be Calvin to keep his identity secret.

During the journey to Mars, Walt and Sophie grow closer as he learns more about Calvin. Sophie discovers that the real Calvin may have prioritized terraforming his dreams over her, prompting emotional turmoil aboard the ship.

In an onboard presentation about terraforming, Walt is forced to speak about a topic he knows little about. He improvises a moving speech about love and convinces two passengers to get married, a moment that sways the audience including Sophie.

As the shuttle nears Mars, Sophie tells Walt she will stay with Calvin and will not help him reach Mars any longer, calling him a coward. The revelation fractures his plan and tenses the voyage.

On Mars, Sophie and Calvin are reunited, and Walt is arrested by security. The mission's twist exposes the consequences of his deception and the limits of his influence on others.

While awaiting the outcome, Ginny tells Walt she found someone new on Mars, a consequence of their one-night romance and his subsequent fixation on finding her again. The relationship fallout compounds Walt's isolation on the red planet.

The next day, Walt meets Leon Kovi, the leader of the Mars program. Kovi explains that security cameras captured his actions and that the company let it slide as a security test; the board plans to sue him upon return.

Kovi leaks the footage online to create a viral story and avoid backlash, then offers Walt a contract to keep him on Mars as a promotional figure, provided he aligns with the program's interests.

Walt's life as an online sensation grows, but he realizes he is not happy living on Mars. The glamour fades as he confronts the hollow nature of his situation and the mounting pressure to stay.

Sophie breaks up with Calvin and boards a ship back to Earth, choosing a life away from the Mars program and Walt's orbit. The breakup highlights the divergent paths they are taking.

Walt decides to return to Earth, boarding the shuttle back home. He reunites with Sophie, and they share a kiss, signaling a possible reclaiming of their connection on Earth.