NORAD TRACKS SANTA

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm



Beginning at 2:00 am MTN on Christmas Eve, you can track Santa Live as he makes his historical journey around the world!

For more than 50 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santa. The tradition began on Christmas Eve in 1955 after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. store advertisement for children to call Santa on a special "hotline" included an inadvertently misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup had his staff check radar data for any indication of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Indeed there were signs of Santa and children who called were given an update on Santa's location. Thus, the tradition was born.

To listen to Colonel Shoup talk about the experience, click here.

In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for the North American continent called the North American Air Defense Command, known as NORAD. NORAD inherited the tradition of tracking Santa.

Since that time, Canadian and American men and women who work at NORAD have responded to phone calls from children personally. Additionally, media from all over the world call NORAD on Christmas Eve for updates on Santa's location. Last year this Website was visited by millions of people who wanted to know Santa's whereabouts.

And while NORAD has the "history" and excellent technology to track Santa, NORAD cannot expend government funds on the program. Besides the short time a NTS Project Officer spends "managing" the program, NORAD spends only the minimal amount of funds on NTS.

So, how do we do it? The NTS program is funded through generous contributions from our sponsors. Everything from computer servers, web site design, video imaging, Santa's tracking map, and the toll free telephone number, to the souvenir Santa Tracker buttons volunteers are presented on Christmas Eve, companies, corporations and individual sponsors, or what we like to call Partners, bring this program to children around the world.


About NORAD

NORAD is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace defense of the United States and Canada. NORAD was created by a 1958 agreement between Canada and the United States. NORAD provides warning of missile and air attack against both of its member nations, safeguards the air sovereignty of North America, and provides air defense forces for defense against an air attack.

NORAD's mission has evolved over the years to meet the aerospace defense needs of Canada and the United States. The most recent "evolution" in NORAD's mission came as a result of September 11, 2001. Because of that day, NORAD now closely coordinates with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to monitor the airspace within Canada and the United States. In addition, the command also conducts maritime warning. There are men and women in NORAD constantly watching the skies and waterways to keep the United States and Canada safe.