Gorond Taflerk, a space explorer from the planet Volter, has a major spacecraft malfunction and is forced to go to Kurlandia (known as Earth by its inhabitants). Kurlandia has the reputation of being the most hostile planet in the Universe. Because of this belief, Gorond purposely crash lands on Earth and then must survive while the United States Air Force is hot on his trail. Gorond makes friends among a precocious trio of Earth kids, one of which has a very attractive single mom. Gorond learns all he can about the planet as he avoids the military and looks for a way back home.