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CDSCC - exploring the Solar System and beyond


CHRISTMAS: Tracking Santa
Around the World in One Night
The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex at Tidbinbilla, just outside of Canberra, Australia, will help to provide vital tracking information as Santa Claus makes his annual trip around the globe.

On Christmas Eve, Santa will begin the journey from his secret North Pole base, riding a sleigh crammed full of gifts for 'nice' boys and girls everywhere in the world.

Antennas around the planet will watch as Santa's reindeer reach average speeds of 2,060kms per second. Santa will travel over 356 million kilometres, visiting 842 million households - all in one night!

You can watch as Santa and his reindeer zoom around the world by logging on to one of several websites that are dedicated to ensuring that he can make his journey without any problems - a short links list is on the right.

WARNING! - While you can watch Santa Claus as he starts his journey, you must be tucked up warm and asleep in your bed, otherwise he can't leave any presents behind for you to unwrap the next morning.

Merry Christmas.

Celebrating 40 years of space communication operations, the CDSCC or Tidbinbilla Tracking Station as it is also known is managed by Raytheon Australia on behalf of the CSIRO and NASA.

Everything is in readiness at the North Pole as Santa Claus prepares for his journey around the world. He has been making a list and checking it twice, finding out who's been naughty and who's been nice.

+ NORAD Tracking Santa*
+ Marshall Space Flight
...Centre Tracking Santa
+ Holoworld - Yahoo Events*
* non-NASA websites

TRACKING SANTA
Organisations such as NORAD have been tracking Santa on his annual travels for the past 50 years.
WHEN
24-25 December 2004
AUSTRALIA'S ROLE
While we aren't tracking the many spacecraft that are exploring our Solar System, we will take time out to track Santa as he zips around the planet delivering gifts.
+ CDSCC Media Contact
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