National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Assists Santa Claus
Written by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
23 December 2009
BETHESDA, Md.- This holiday season, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) again offered its expertise to a very special customer -- Santa Claus.
Santa began using the United States' premier mapping and imagery agency when growing world demand for his services became too much for Rudolph to do alone.
"NGA provides not only the exact location of some particularly difficult chimneys to navigate, but also gives me terrain data I need to navigate areas where my sleigh previously could not land. The timely and accurate data I get from NGA improves my route planning and holiday gift delivery process across the world," said Santa.
NGA combined satellite imagery with its map and chart making expertise to upgrade a digital navigation system that focused on Santa's problem. Called NGA TOY DELIVERY SYSTEM X-100, this specialized geospatial intelligence product was specifically formatted to help Santa create quick and easy routes around the globe. Since its development in 2006, NGA has made several enhancements to the system, resulting in increased speed and accuracy.
NGA has test footage of Santa Claus using the NGA TOY DELIVERY SYSTEM X-100 in a small city in the U.S. that will be posted to the World Wide Web today.
NGA is honored to be a partner with the number one world traveler. To view the upgraded NGA TOY DELIVERY SYSTEM X-100 and see how it is used by its revered customer, go to http://www.youtube.com/ngagov.
NGA is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the national Intelligence Community. The agency's mission is to provide geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), which is the exploitation of satellite or airborne images, fused with other intelligence and geospatial information such as mapping, charting and geodesy to help warfighters and national decision makers visualize what they need to know. NGA is the nation's eyes.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., NGA also has major facilities in the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and St. Louis, Mo., areas with NGA support teams worldwide. Visit our Web site at www.nga.mil.
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