During routine maintenance of a liquid-fuelled ICBM, the fuel tank is penetrated by a falling spanner. The film traces the efforts of the maintenance crew and associated military and civilian personnel to recover the potentially disastrous situation before the fuel tank is sufficiently depressurised that the stack collapses and explodes.

After a woman fervently wishes for another chance after a terrible tragedy, she is mysteriously granted one year of her life to be lived over.