NORAD Santa Tracker 2025: Radar Systems Locked on St. Nick’s Global Journey. How to Guide

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — As the sun sets on December 24, 2025, a tension of a different kind fills the air at Peterson Space Force Base. While the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) usually spends its hours scanning the skies for high-altitude threats and missile launches, tonight, every radar screen from Alaska to Newfoundland is tuned to a single, infrared heat signature: a bright red nose leading a wooden sleigh.

This year marks the historic 70th anniversary of the NORAD Tracks Santa program. What began as a Cold War-era clerical error has blossomed into a global phenomenon, blending cutting-edge military technology with the pure, unadulterated magic of Christmas.

Table of Contents

The Technology Behind the Magic: How NORAD Sees Santa

Tracking an object that travels “faster than starlight” requires more than just a pair of binoculars. NORAD utilizes a sophisticated four-stage tracking system that mirrors its real-world defense protocols.

1. The North Warning System (Radar)

The mission begins with the North Warning System, a powerful string of 47 radar installations across Canada’s North and Alaska. The moment Santa’s sleigh lifts off from the North Pole, these sensors pick up the atmospheric disturbance.

2. Infrared Satellites

Once airborne, the tracking is handed off to satellites in geosynchronous orbit, 22,300 miles above Earth. These satellites are equipped with infrared sensors capable of detecting heat. While they are designed to spot the hot exhaust of a missile, they are equally adept at tracking the heat signature of Rudolph’s nose, which gives off a distinct infrared signal.

3. Santa Cams

High-tech, high-speed “Santa Cams” are pre-positioned around the globe. These cameras capture mid-air footage as Santa flies past world landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of China, and the Sydney Opera House. These videos are uploaded nearly every hour to the official website.

4. Fighter Jet Intercepts

As Santa enters North American airspace, he is met by an elite escort. Canadian CF-18s and American F-15, F-16, and F-22 fighter pilots are scrambled to fly alongside the sleigh. Pilots often report “tipping their wings” in a respectful salute, a moment frequently captured by cockpit cameras and shared with millions of eager children online.

The 2025 Operations Center: A Global Command

The heart of the operation is the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center at Peterson Space Force Base. Today, more than 1,000 volunteers—including U.S. and Canadian service members, civilian staff, and community leaders—are manning the phones and digital consoles.

According to Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell, the 2025 operation expects to handle an overwhelming volume of inquiries. Over the past three seasons, NORAD has fielded over one million calls. In 2024 alone, volunteers took approximately 380,000 calls from over 200 countries.

How to Connect in 2025:

The Hotline: Children can dial 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) to speak directly with a live tracker.
Web-Based Calling: For the first time this year, NORAD has introduced a web-based calling feature at www.noradsanta.org, allowing children outside of North America to reach the center without international phone charges.
AI and Smart Home Integration: For those with smart devices, simply asking “Alexa, where is Santa?” or “Hey Google, track Santa” provides real-time data synced directly with NORAD’s radar feeds.

A Tradition Born from a Typo: The Legacy of Col. Harry Shoup

It is impossible to discuss the tracker without honoring its accidental origin in 1955. At the height of the Cold War, a Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement in Colorado Springs mistakenly printed the secret “red phone” number for the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD)—NORAD’s predecessor.

When the phone rang on Christmas Eve, Air Force Col. Harry Shoup expected a call from a four-star general or a warning of a nuclear strike. Instead, he heard the small voice of a child asking if he was Santa Claus.

Shoup, a disciplined and “strait-laced” commander, initially thought it was a prank. However, realizing the gravity of the child’s hope, he ordered his staff to “check the radar” and provide updates to every child who called. That night, a military defense command became a beacon of holiday hope, a mission Shoup later described as the one he was proudest of in his entire career.

Santa’s Flight Plan: The Logistics of Joy

While Santa’s exact route is known only to him, historical data allows NORAD to predict his general path. He typically begins at the International Date Line in the Pacific, traveling west.

Region	Timing (Approximate)
South Pacific & Asia	9:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Local Time)
Europe & Africa	9:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Local Time)
North & South America	9:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Local Time)

Note to Parents: NORAD intelligence confirms that Santa only arrives when children are fast asleep. If he reaches a home and finds children awake, he moves to the next house and returns later once they have drifted off.

More Than Just a Tracker: A Symbol of Vigilance

While the Santa mission provides festive cheer, it serves as a powerful reminder of NORAD’s primary responsibility. “Santa tracking highlights the human side of our mission,” says Parnell. Even as the command follows the sleigh, they remain vigilant, protecting North American airspace 24/7, 365 days a year.

As Col. Kelly Frushour, a NORAD spokesperson, noted, the operation is a joint effort between the U.S. and Canada, showcasing the seamless cooperation between the two nations. It is a time to also recognize the thousands of troops serving overseas, standing watch so that families at home can celebrate in peace.

As the sleigh icon moves across the 3D map at Peterson Space Force Base tonight, it represents more than just a holiday tradition. It is a 70-year legacy of wonder, technology, and the enduring belief that, for one night a year, the whole world can look to the skies with the same sense of hope.