With his career on the line and a forbidden romance pulling him toward self-destruction, an astronomer teeters between duty and desire, risking everything as his secrets rise to the surface.

SYNOPSIS:

In 1958 America, Francisco Heredia, a gifted Chicano astronomer, has achieved the life his immigrant mother dreamed of. Working for the U.S. government on the prestigious Icarus 1566 satellite project, Francisco navigates the structured, elite world of science with the grace of someone who’s learned to hide his roots and desires behind a polished exterior. But beneath his reserved demeanor lies a restless heart and a longing for connection that his position and prestige can’t fulfill.

Francisco’s life takes a dramatic turn when he meets Roy, a daring and magnetic man who introduces him to a hidden, vibrant queer community. For the first time, Francisco glimpses a world where he might embrace all parts of himself without shame. As his relationship with Roy deepens, Francisco finds himself pulled between his duty to his career and the desire for a life he never dared to imagine. The Icarus satellite project, a symbol of his scientific dreams, begins to mirror his own dangerous journey toward self-discovery.

When the pressures of work, society, and forbidden love converge, Francisco faces an impossible choice: to continue hiding in the shadows of his achievements or to risk everything for the chance to be truly free. The Route to Icarus is a story of ambition, identity, and the courage it takes to embrace one’s true self—even if it means flying too close to the sun.