What are the main characters of October Sky?

The protagonist of the film is, of course, Homer Hickam, the teenage son of a coal miner who wants to pursue aeronautics, much to the dismay of his traditional father.
Homer’s father, John Hickam, serves as the primary antagonist of the film. He wants his sons to continue in the coal mining tradition, and he has a difficult time understanding Homer’s interests. He also thinks Homer is chasing a pipe dream, and he pressures his son to be more realistic.
On the other hand, Homer’s teacher Miss Riley encourages his intellectual curiosity and pursuit of rocket science. She serves as Homer’s coach, in a way, and always pushes him to act rationally while following his heart.
Homer is aided in his pursuit by several friends, but I wouldn’t consider them to be main characters. These three are the most important throughout the film since each functions in a key literary role.