Space Cowboy

Hawk and Frank push their modified Bell X-2 to break speed and altitude records. The aircraft stalls and they eject, narrowly missing a Boeing B-50 Superfortress. On the ground, Frank punches Hawk in anger, and their boss Bob Gerson intervenes as they head to a press conference announcing NASA will conduct space flight tests instead of the USAF.

Bob Gerson escorts the duo to a press conference where the newly created NASA is announced as the agency responsible for spaceflight tests, replacing the USAF. The decision foreshadows a clash between old-school pilots and a public-facing space program. The alliance between Frank and Hawk becomes central to future missions.

NASA faces a crisis when IKON, a Soviet satellite, risks decaying from orbit and crashing to Earth due to uplink loss. Its archaic electronics trace back to Frank's Skylab work, tying him to the mission. Bob, now a NASA project manager, seeks Frank's help to handle the danger with Team Daedalus.

Bob plans to have younger astronauts shadow the four veterans, hoping to replace them before launch. The old team—Frank, Hawk, Tank, and Jerry—agree to help, but only with their colleagues’ support. The arrangement sets the stage for a blend of experience and fresh talent.

The Vice President convinces Bob that the mission needs veteran credibility for publicity. Training begins with a mix of old-school piloting and modern computer-assisted methods, pairing the Daedalus vets with younger astronauts. The public narrative frames the mission as a bridge between generations.

Daedalus locates IKON in space and discovers it houses six Cold War missiles, a direct breach of the Outer Space Treaty. Frank uncovers that the satellite’s control system was stolen from Bob, revealing a KGB connection. The team realizes the peril is not just a decaying satellite but a potential nuclear trigger.

To prevent a missile launch, NASA opts to use payload-assisted rockets to push IKON away from Earth. The plan requires attaching to the satellite and steering it into a safe deep-space trajectory. The clock ticks as they prepare for the dangerous maneuver.

Ethan Glance acts on Bob's original orders to place IKON into a stable orbit, thinking it will preserve the mission. His actions trigger a chain reaction, and IKON collides with Daedalus, wrecking many of the shuttle's systems and panels. Roger Hines is concussed in the impact while the crew reels from the disaster.

Tank and Jerry tend to Roger Hines while Frank and Hawk space-walk to IKON to activate a booster. They manage to slow the orbit’s decay enough to prevent immediate reentry and to stabilize the situation. The crew realizes that a direct rescue is possible only with a radical plan.

The team concludes that someone must ride the satellite as its engines fire to push it into deep space. Hawk volunteers, despite a terminal illness, risking his life for the mission and his dream of reaching the Moon. The sacrifice underscores the personal stakes behind the mission.

Hawk’s selfless act sets the stage for IKON’s escape toward deep space. Frank, Tank, and Jerry commit to bringing the shuttle down safely, honoring Hawk's wish to fulfill his Moon dream. The mission continues toward a safe trajectory that will end with a Moon landing.

The team plans to crash-land the shuttle into the ocean to keep landing risks manageable. The shuttle comes in too fast, forcing a series of bailouts for Roger and Ethan. Frank uses a stall-based maneuver from Hawk’s past to bleed speed and bring Daedalus down safely.

In the closing image, Hawk has not only landed on the Moon but survived long enough to rest against a rock and look back toward Earth. The Moon surface fades in with the song Fly Me to the Moon, underscoring Hawk’s lifelong dream fulfilled. The film closes on a bittersweet victory for the team.