Every December, millions of families around the world track Santa’s Yuletide journey through the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa Tracker, a holiday tradition that has grown from humble origins into a massive volunteer operation. NORAD’s powerful North Warning System features 47 radar installations strategically positioned across Alaska and northern Canada, and as soon as that radar system picks up Santa departing from the North Pole, the command begins tracking him via globally integrated satellites using their infrared sensors that normally detect heat signatures from launched rockets or missiles. The satellites track Santa’s position throughout his global journey by detecting Rudolph’s bright red nose, which gives off an infrared signature remarkably similar to that of a missile, allowing NORAD to monitor every moment of his Christmas Eve flight. Fighter pilots flying U.S. Air Force F-15, F-16, F-22 aircraft and Canadian Air Force CF-18 jets rendezvous with Santa off the coast of Newfoundland each Christmas Eve to welcome him to North America and escort him safely through North American airspace until he completes his deliveries and returns home to the North Pole.
The tracking operation requires tremendous coordination with about 70 contributors helping set up the NORADSanta.org website, mobile apps, and phone lines starting each November when inquiries from eager families begin flooding in. More than 500 uniformed personnel, Defense Department civilians, their families and supporters volunteer their precious time on Christmas Eve to answer children’s questions about Santa’s whereabouts, with virtual call center capabilities picking up any slack when needed. Kids can follow Santa by calling the traditional phone line at 1-877-Hi-NORAD, visiting the countdown clock and games on NORADSanta.org, using the mobile app, asking Amazon Alexa, checking with vehicle navigation service OnStar, or following along on social media platforms where millions engage with real-time updates. In 2020, the operation reached unprecedented scale with more than 11 million website visitors from over 200 countries and territories, volunteers answering more than 20,000 phone calls, and the @noradsanta Facebook page gaining 1.89 million followers who eagerly await updates on Santa’s progress each year.
