KSC-00pp0135

NASA Administrator Dan Goldin (left) watches as 10-year-old Jonathan Pierce (right), who is garbed in a protective cooling suit designed by NASA, shakes hands with astronaut Dog Wheelock. Behind Jonathan is his mother, Penny. Jonathan suffers from erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare condition that makes his body unable to withstand ultraviolet rays. The suit allows him to be outside during the day, which would otherwise be impossible. Jonathan's trip was funded by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and included a visit to Disney World. He and his family were among a dozen VIPs at KSC to view the launch of STS-99