> I read Welcome to Mars (1967) by James Blish last week. It was a fun read about one Dolph Haertel, an unconventional eighteen year old. Convinced rockets are not the best way to explore space, he invents an anti-gravity device. After acquiring absurdly inadequate supplies, he tells his parents he’s going camping for the weekend. Instead he takes his packing crate tree house to Mars. Planning and foresight are not Dolph’s strong points. His trip to Mars is successful, but the landing is less so and Dolph finds himself marooned on Mars.

Where have I heard that before....