In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy launched the U.S. effort to put rockets into space, high school senior Max King became interested in the space race, honoring JFK's presidency and lofty goals.
Max enters junior college but struggles at the beginning. He meets Jan Rosing in his zoology class, and it's love at "fifth" sight. She dumps her fianc for Max, and they become study buddies. One thing leads to another and the two transfer to UCLA...