How NORAD tracks Santa
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
NORAD has been tracking Santa's Christmas Eve trip around the world for more than 65 years, and tells Axios the team will be relying on tried-and-true ways to track him today.
What we're hearing: "NORAD will not be using AI to track Santa's journey," Captain Rebecca Garand of NORAD tells Axios. "We track Santa using three systems: radars including the North Warning System, satellites and NORAD military aircraft. These systems provide NORAD with a continuous picture of Santa's whereabouts both in North America and abroad."
🎅 Santa usually begins his journey around 6am ET on Christmas Eve "and zigzags North and South as he makes his way west," Garand says.
By the numbers: Each year, more than 1,000 American and Canadian uniformed personnel, Department of Defense civilian employees and members of the Colorado Springs community volunteer to track Santa's route.
- Last Christmas Eve, NORAD received over 400,000 calls via its call line, 1-877-446-6723.
Catch up quick: The tracking began in 1955, when a young child called a secret phone believing it was Santa's number. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup answered and told the child that the Continental Air Defense Command would ensure Santa's safety during his journey from the North Pole.
- CONAD became a part of NORAD, and the tradition carried on.
The fine print: NORAD tells us Santa usually arrives in any given area between about 8pm and midnight, but only when children are asleep.
