NORAD’s Santa-Tracking Web Site Opens for 2006 Season

American Forces Press Service ^

[SandRat]

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Nov. 17, 2006 -- In advance of the holiday season and its 51st season of tracking Santa Claus on his annual journey around the world, the North American Aerospace Defense Command today activated its “NORAD Tracks Santa” Web site for 2006.

The U.S.-Canadian command’s program began in 1955 when an errant phone call was made to NORAD’s predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local child who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement.

The commander who answered the phone that night gave the youngster the information he requested – the whereabouts of Santa Claus – and thus the tradition of NORAD tracking Santa began.

The program has grown immensely since it was first presented on the Internet in 1998. Last year, the Web site received 912 million “hits” from 204 countries and territories. In addition, the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center, occupied by 550 volunteers on Christmas Eve, answered nearly 55,000 phone calls and nearly 98,240 e-mails from children around the world.

The Web site -- www.noradsanta.org -- features the history of the program, information on how NORAD tracks Santa and interactive games. On Dec. 24, beginning at 2 a.m. Mountain Time, the Web site will feature a minute-by-minute update on Santa’s travels around the world. All of this information is available English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

Island Web Studios, America Online, Akami, Analytical Graphics, Globelink Language and Cultural Services, Qwest Communications, Verizon, and Microsoft Virtual Earth help to make the program possible, NORAD officials said.

(From a North American Aerospace Defense Command news release.)

Related Sites:
NORAD Tracks Santa
North American Aerospace Defense Command

[SandRat]

USAF Is Ready Now to Track Santa. Flight Plan Filed and approved. Updated IFF Squak Code sent, Santa's IFF Uploaded with the New Code, and Test Load Verified. USAF Will Fly Security Escort.

[luvie]

Kinda early, ain't it? :D

[BW2221]

How long before the ACLU (the liberals' answer to the KKK) puts an end to this.

[Thrusher]

Apollo 8: Houston, Apollo 8. Over.
Mission Control: Hello, Apollo 8. Loud and clear.
Apollo 8: Please be informed there is a Santa Claus.
Mission Control: That's affirmative. You're the best ones to know.

[SandRat]

Santa needs the IFF Code early and you just know there will be test flights to check Elve Maintenance. Rehearsal will be Thanksgiving when he flys in for the Macy's Thanksgiving Prade; so no not to early.

[kalee]

ping...for you know who.

[herewego]

The kids and I love to track Santa on Christmas Eve on radar..

[luvie]

Very true...I guess time has just gotten away from me. Let the flight tests begin, then! :D

[dcrider182]

where else but here in America! God bless this beautiful country of ours!
~D

[SevenofNine]

Sandrat it kinda early

Rack ittt anyway

[therut]

I love it. It wish the Big Three still signed off the late news with. It is 10:00 do you know where your children are. If I heard that as a child it was well beyond my 8:00 bedtime or it was Friday night.

[Cailleach]

you know who is ready. :)

[Rb ver. 2.0]

We can't be too careful and must protect the borders. SHOOT IT DOWN!

[billbears]

I would expect a party that believes in limited government and cutting costs would put an end to this nonsense. Since we don't have a party that believes in those principles anymore I doubt it will ever go away. I'm for the Christmas Spirit and I like seeing the kids smiling when they hear about Santa Claus. But I don't want the national government wasting money on it either

[SandRat]

Now we know someone that just might be getting coal in his stocking this year. lol

[kalee]

I bet! Heehee.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

Yeah, laugh it up now, but when the Iranians kidnap Santa and replace him with a fat bearded Imam flying a nuke the the U.S. wrapped as little Timmy's Play-Station 3 it won't be so funny.

NORAD best force a landing somewhere in northern Canada and check "Santa's" visa.

[SandRat]

See what happens when the IFF isn't squawking properly?

[luvie]

Heh-heh!

Gotcha! :D

Cute!