NORAD prepares to track Santa Claus from space force base in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - At Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, military personnel and volunteers are preparing for one of their most important missions of the year, tracking Santa Claus as he delivers presents to children around the world.

This yearly tradition started in 1955 after a misprint in a local Colorado Springs newspaper directed kids to call operations centers so they could talk to Santa.

“History was then born on that day in 1955 and we’ve been doing it for 67 years ever since,” said Dan Campbell, Canadian NORAD Chief Foreign Officer.

Officer Campbell says it takes 47 radar installations that run across the Canadian arctic into Alaska to track Santa and about 1,500 people will be on hand to answer phones on base in Colorado Springs, as well as on bases in Canada and Alaska.

“Looking at our historical analysis he will head out to the middle of the Pacific,” said Officer Campbell. “And then he’ll start flying West and visiting all the kids out in the Pacific area until he circumnavigates the entire world.”

While it’s still impossible to know exactly how Santa delivers present to each individual house, Officer Campbell says one thing’s for sure, Santa knows when you’re sleeping and he knows when you’re awake.

“So, if you’re staying up and the kids are up then he may have to bypass your house and come back which puts a lot of extra mileage on those reindeer,” said Officer Campbell. “Help Santa by making sure that you get to bed at a decent time on Christmas Eve.”

While it takes a lot of work to get to everyone’s calls and follow one of the most famous aviators in the world, Officer Campbell says it’s a privilege to look after Santa and NORAD is excited it gets to do it every year.

“This is the best mission that we have,” said Officer Campbell.

To track Santa Claus online, click here.

To speak with someone in the operations center on Christmas Eve, call 1-877-HI-NORAD (4466723).

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