Santa is about to start giving presents to all the good ones. The children will be curious to know when Santa Claus is coming and will look up at the sky, hoping to see his sleigh pulled by reindeer.
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) comes to the aid of children and will provide the latest technology to find Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. The organization has assumed this special duty since 1955.
In the footsteps of Santa Claus
According to legend, a child was trying to call Santa on a phone number provided by the Sears chain. But the child mistyped the number and called Colonel Harry Shoup, on duty that night at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD). NORAD's predecessor, CONAD, was founded in 1954 during the Cold War, tasked with continuously monitoring US airspace for any air or space attack. Shoup, who became known as Santa Colonel, saw an opportunity to bring public recognition to their mission throughout the year.
Even before Christmas 1955, CONAD, the Army, Navy, and the Air Force will continue to pursue and guard Santa Claus and his sleigh on its journey to and from the United States against a possible attack by those who do not believe in Christmas. .
Since then, a special telephone line has been set up for children eager to find out if gift delivery is going well. In 1958, when NORAD took over as the binational organization responsible for defending both the United States and Canada, it inherited the seasonal obligation now called "NORAD Tracks Santa."
Watch Santa live
According to NORAD, defense satellites equipped with infrared sensors are able to track the thermal signature of Rudolf's nose with maximum accuracy. To ensure that Santa Claus manages to distribute gifts to children in North America, NORAD operates two F / A-18 aircraft to provide an escort.
Children and adults can access one special site countdown to the start of Santa's journey. On the big night, the site will feature an interactive map showing where Santa Claus is live.
Alternatively, Google offers its own Santa's tracking tool, although, inexplicably, his data may be different.