NORAD has started their annual tracking of Santa Claus as he makes his way around the world (his current location is Aqtobe, Kazakhstan). This year NORAD is working with Google, tracking Santa using Google Earth and using special Santa Cams to upload videos of his travels to the NORAD Tracks Santa YouTube channel. For ongoing updates on Santa’s location, see the NORAD Tracks Santa website.
The NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) program has been around for a long time, since 1955 to be exact! We believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world.
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa – radar, satellites, Santa Cams and jet fighter aircraft.
Detecting Santa all starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system has 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. NORAD makes a point of checking the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
UPDATE: You can now follow Santa Claus on Twitter as well.
