In New Mexico at the Intelligence Agency a scientist hears a radio signal from another world. He immediately alerts his superiors. After analyzing the frequency, they decide that the noise is coming from the moon. At the Pentagon the Navy takes a scan of the UFO that is producing the frequency. It is one fourth the size of the moon and it is coming towards Earth. It is not a meteor since it is slowing down as it approaches. It is affecting the satellites, which makes it harder to communicate with other countries. David, a scientist receives the news and thinks that it is impossible. He begins decoding the noise emitted from the spacecraft.
A family that lives in a camper relies on Russel for income. Russel does crop dusting and used to fly for the United States in Vietnam. He is diagnosed with post traumatic syndrome because of ludicrous claims of being abducted by aliens ten years ago, but no one believes him. As a result, he is drunk all the time and accidentally dusted the wrong crops.
The president receives word that the mother ship has stopped and is now breaking off in many tiny pieces. All of the pieces are smaller UFOs. A plane is assigned to check out one of the pieces that has begun to hover over a city in California. Once they get through all the smoke, the plane is engulfed in a fireball that surrounds the UFO. Meanwhile, President Whitmore assigns all lower ranks to go into hiding, but he refuses to hide. He advises the public not to panic since the aliens have not hurt anyone.
Captain Hillar wakes up and gets his newspaper. He notices that all of his neighbors are moving at the same time. He decides that he is going to go to the base to receive any orders in helping out with the situation.
David gets his ex-wife to get him into the white house to talk to the president. He tells the president that there is a countdown found in the Earths satellites. Everyone has twenty-seven minutes until time runs out. The spaceships have began to open the bottom of the crafts looking like they are preparing to strike. A helicopter is sent to welcome the aliens at one of the sites but is welcomed themselves with missiles. Will the president make it out of D.C. in time? Will the world end as we know it? Watch and find out.
