The Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility will again be available for emergency landings by venerable old Saint Nick should problems develop during his annual visit to the world's children. This continues a tradition established shortly after the opening of the SLF in the 1970s.
The SLF was completed in the late 1970s as part of the center's buildup for Space Shuttle operations. The 15,000-foot-long, 300-foot-wide landing strip is among the world's largest and could provide a welcome haven for Santa Claus in the event of reindeer problems or mechanical difficulties with his new, high-tech sleighs.
Santa has gone to high-tech, state-of-the-art sleighs in recent years due to the increasing population of kids and the greater workload this has imposed. His reindeer aren't getting any younger, either, and the new, lighter sleighs are made of advanced composite materials to lighten their burden.
Space Shuttle orbiters are guided to precision landings at the Spaceport's SLF by a Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) system and Microwave Scanning Beam Landing System (MSBLSS). Santa has equipped his new sleighs with flight units capable of establishing contact with them should a landing here be necessary.
Other recent improvements include improved brakes, enhanced nose runner steering and braking parachute. Santa has also incorporated stealth technology into the new designs to reduce their radar profiles. "I have to make deliveries in countries that are not at peace with one another," said Claus. "Even though the kids have behaved themselves, some of the grown-ups' anti-aircraft guns still pose a threat to my reusable launch vehicle."
No government expense is involved in making the SLF available to Saint Nick on Christmas Eve. No personnel will be on duty and the automated landing systems will be left on in the automatic mode.
Has Santa ever had to make a forced landing at KSC?
"We have no actual proof," commented an SLF manager, who spoke only with assurances of anonymity. "But the morning after a real cold Christmas several years ago we found a twisted sleigh runner we've never been able to account for."