--- description: A photographer's son explores the Kennedy Space Center, dressed in a NASA space suit for the photo project 'Small Steps Are Giant Leaps' title: See an adorable tiny astronaut visit Kennedy Space Center image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcdedd688913b756e/6988a12ebc6cfcc3f93de203/aaron-sheldon-small-steps-06.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Science](/section/science/) ## Science Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Space](/tag/space/) ## Space Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # See A Tiny Astronaut Visit the Kennedy Space Center by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 10, 2016 1:00 PM CUT  Harrison stands in the Visitor Complex’s cupola, July 19, 2016. Harrison stands in the Visitor Complex’s cupola, July 19, 2016.Aaron Sheldon by [Marisa Gertz](/author/marisa-gertz/) ## Marisa Gertz Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 10, 2016 1:00 PM CUT It all started with a regular, everyday bus ride. Photographer Aaron Sheldon’s son, Harrison, refused to get off the bus, wanting to stay and watch the traffic and pedestrians. Although frustrated, Aaron realized that to his son, this wasn’t just one bus ride in a lifetime of similar bus rides, it was a new and exciting adventure. When Harrison got an ear infection and had to go to the doctor’s’ office, his father, hoping to give him the courage to sit on the examination table, asked “What kind of brave people have to go the doctor’s office?’ to which Harrison replied “Well how about [astronauts](http://time.com/3745861/leonov-spacewalk-50th-anniversary/ "undefined")? Are astronauts brave?” Connecting the idea of the brave astronaut and the adventurous child, Aaron started a project that would be called _Small Steps Are Giant Leaps._ He photographed Harrison wearing a costume space suit, doing everyday things like laundry, getting a haircut, and, yes, riding the bus. The project, Aaron writes on his [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ssagl16/small-steps-are-giant-leaps "undefined") page, “is about reminding parents that, to our kids, this is a new and exciting world just waiting to be explored.” After a successful campaign, [_Small Steps Are Giant Leaps_](https://squareup.com/store/sheldon-image-design "undefined") became a book. But that wasn’t the end for the intrepid explorer. After someone at the Kennedy Space Center saw an image of Harrison, dressed in his space suit, holding a sign reading “Florida Space Coast or BUST”, the father-son team was invited to the complex for a special visit. The tiny astronaut saw the Atlantis space shuttle, touched a [moon](http://time.com/4433455/moon-express-robot-nasa/ "undefined") rock, met veteran NASA astronaut Jon McBride, and got an up-close view of a [Saturn V](http://time.com/4255442/nasa-mars-next/ "undefined") moon rocket. “Our job as parents”, Aaron wrote on his [website](https://squareup.com/store/sheldon-image-design "undefined"), “is to act as \[our child’s\] mission control and co-pilot to make sure they can explore as much of their new world as possible.” See more images from the project on Instagram at [@smallstepsaregiantleaps](https://www.instagram.com/smallstepsaregiantleaps/ "undefined").  Harrison Sheldon stands on the Apollo gantry at the Kennedy Space Center, July 18, 2016\. Harrison was invited to the Visitor center for a special visit as part of his father, Aaron Sheldon's, photography project Small Steps Are Giant Leaps. Aaron Sheldon  Harrison walks around the Apollo Saturn 5 Vault, July 18, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Harrison sits in the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Launch experience, July 19, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  During the visit, Harrison stands in front of the Saturn 5 shuttle, July 18, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Hanging out in the International Space Station exhibit, July 20, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Harrison stands in the Visitor Complex’s cupola, July 19, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Viewing a depiction of outer space in the Kennedy Space Center, July 19, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  In the space center's Forever Remembered Gallery, July 20, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Harrison receives flight instruction from Jon McBride, July 20, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Harrison sits in the Apollo Mission Control, July 18, 2016. Aaron Sheldon  Exploring the space center's re-entry exhibit, July 20, 2016. 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