Only man longs for the heavens, because heaven is ultimately his home. Creativeness grows out of the Christian worldview. The people from the town who come out to the launching site to see the Rocket Boys fire their missiles, transcend the mundane world of Coalwood. They are looking up, following the rocket through the clouds, hoping and praying for something better for their children. For a moment, they too escape Coalwood.
Transcendence is a common theme in movies.
It's especially evident in October Sky . Science Fiction movies fall into the same category but with a number of significant differences. They express man's longing for something greater than himself and the world that he inhabits. Science Fiction is not really about science. Science is only the vehicle for telling a story that will deal with an alternate reality.