Is he here yet? Lab scientists keep tabs on Santa

Contact: Kevin Roark, knroark@lanl.gov, (505) 665-0582 (03-162)

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Dec. 23, 2003 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory's Space Data Systems (ISR-3) is keeping an eye out for Santa. Beginning at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, ISR-3 will track the jolly old elf on his whirlwind travels around the world and give hourly updates via its Web site at http://santa.lanl.gov on Santa's progress toward Northern New Mexico.

Kids of all ages also can keep track of Santa by listening to hourly reports on radio station KRSN, AM 1490.

"We expect Santa to arrive in Northern New Mexico around midnight Mountain Standard Time on Christmas Eve," said Diane Roussel-Dupré of ISR-3, the Lab's satellite tracking group. "Basically, we expect that he'll be chasing the International Date Line to make his deliveries at midnight in all locations around the world."

Laboratory space scientists will use satellite tracking dishes located in Los Alamos and Fairbanks, Alaska, to monitor Santa's progress as he races around the world delivering presents and goodies to children everywhere. In addition, Los Alamos scientists will keep an eye on St. Nick with sensors on the ALEXIS and FORTE satellites, and the U.S. Air Force with its nine tracking stations around the world also will help monitor the sleigh and its eight tiny reindeer.

"We like to think of our efforts as another way to help spread glad tidings," Roussel-Dupré said. "This is our present to the communities of Northern New Mexico."

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos develops and applies science and technology to ensure the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent; reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation and terrorism; and solve national problems in defense, energy, environment and infrastructure.

Additional news releases related to Space Sciences