{{short description|French space research unit (founded in 1977)}} {{Infobox organization | full_name = Study and Information Group on Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena | native_name = Groupe d'Études et d'Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés | native_name_lang = fr | logo = File:Geipan logo.svg | formation = {{start_date_and_age|1977}} | abbreviation = GEIPAN | location = Toulouse, France | type = Nonprofit | founder = Claude Poher | leader_name = Frederic Courtade | key_people = Yves Sillard | former_name = GEPAN, SEPRA | parent_organization = French Space Agency | website = {{URL|http://geipan.fr}} }}
'''GEIPAN''' (an acronym in French for {{Lang|fr|Groupe d'Études et d'Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés}}, or Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena Research and Information Group) ({{IPAc-en|g|aɪ|ˈ|p|ɑː|n}}) is a unit of the French space agency CNES based in Toulouse, whose mission is to investigate unidentified aerospace phenomena (UAP)<ref>GEIPAN is clearly focused on UFO study, but UAP (''PAN'' in French) is meant to cover a much broader area than UFO (''OVNI'' in French), as "UFO" may imply the presence of a physical object despite any actual evidence of it.</ref> and make its findings available to the public.
== History and developments == GEIPAN was founded in 1977 as '''GEPAN''' ({{Lang|fr|Groupe d'Étude des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés}}, Study Group for Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena). Claude Poher was the inaugural director, {{Clarification needed span|under the permission|date=January 2025}} of then director general of CNES Yves Sillard.
GEPAN was renamed to '''SEPRA''' ({{Lang|fr|Service d'Expertise des Phénomènes de Rentrée Atmosphérique}}, Atmospheric Re-entry Phenomena Expertise Department) in 1988,<ref name="ski">{{Cite web |last=Kreidler |first=Marc |date=2009 |title=UFOs: an Assessment of Thirty Years of Official Studies in France |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2009/01/p47.pdf |website=Skeptical Inquirer |language=en-US}}</ref> and then to {{Lang|fr|Service d'Expertise des Phénomènes Rares Aérospatiaux}} ("rare aerospace phenomena expertise department") in 2000.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} In 2005, the research unit was renamed to GEIPAN.<ref name="ski" />
The French Gendarmerie was instructed to channel data from reports of UFO sightings to SEPRA, which therefore was in a position to draw on a large database of such events. In cases where physical traces appeared to be present, SEPRA could call on the technical resources of CNES to perform a thorough scientific investigation. A famous example of such an investigation was the Trans-en-Provence Case.
thumb|right|Sightings numbers per year In March 2007, GEIPAN started to make its [http://www.cnes-geipan.fr/index.php?id=202 archives available online] to the public. The same year, French skeptics criticized the quality of their investigative work, arguing the sightings were too quickly filed as unidentified.<ref>Rossoni, D., Maillot, E., & Déguillaume, E. (2007). Les ovnis du CNES – 30 ans d’études officielles. www.book-e-book.com. [http://www.zetetique.fr/page/doc.php?publication=1&ecritId=37 (extracts from the book in French)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927090104/http://www.zetetique.fr/page/doc.php?publication=1&ecritId=37 |date=2007-09-27 }}. Critical skeptical investigations of GEPAN's work.</ref> On March 26, 2007, the CNES' own report said that 28% of sightings remain unidentified.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cnes.fr/en/web/CNES-en/5866-geipan-uap-investigation-unit-opens-its-files.php |title=CNES report, March 26, 2007 |access-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108170520/https://cnes.fr/en/web/CNES-en/5866-geipan-uap-investigation-unit-opens-its-files.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
More recent reports of GEIPAN estimate the unidentified sightings at around 3%.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Costes |first=Vincent |date=2022-11-03 |title=Ovnis : comment travaillent les scientifiques pour étudier les phénomènes aérospatiaux non identifiés |url=http://theconversation.com/ovnis-comment-travaillent-les-scientifiques-pour-etudier-les-phenomenes-aerospatiaux-non-identifies-193467 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=The Conversation |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Geipan {{!}} GEIPAN |url=https://www.cnes-geipan.fr/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=www.cnes-geipan.fr}}</ref>
== Directors == {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} === GEPAN period === * 1977–1978 Claude Poher * 1979–1983 Alain Esterle * 1984–1988 Jean-Jacques Velasco<ref name=ski></reF> === SEPRA period === * 1988–2004 Jean-Jacques Velasco<ref name=ski></reF> === GEIPAN period === * 2005–2009 Jacques Patenet * 2009–2011 Yves Blanc * 2011–2015 Xavier Passot<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nomination au GEIPAN: Xavier PASSOT {{!}} GEIPAN |url=https://www.cnes-geipan.fr/fr/actualites/nomination-xavier-passot |website=www.cnes-geipan.fr}}</ref> * 2016–2019 Jean-Paul Aguttes<ref>{{Cite web |title=Interview de Jean-Paul Aguttes, du Geipan : « L'extraterrestre fait partie du job » |url=https://www.cieletespace.fr/actualites/interview-de-jean-paul-aguttes-du-geipan-l-extraterrestre-fait-partie-du-job |website=Ciel & Espace |language=fr}}</ref> * 2019–2020 Roger Baldacchino<ref>{{Cite web |last=@NatGeoFrance |date=2021-09-22 |title=Qui se cache derrière le GEIPAN, le « bureau des ovnis » en France ? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/espace/qui-se-cache-derriere-le-geipan-le-bureau-des-ovnis-en-france |website=National Geographic |language=fr}}</ref> * 2021–2023 Vincent Costes * 2024–present Frederic Courtade<ref>{{Cite web |last=Friscourt |first=Baptiste |date=2024-04-24 |title=The New Director of GEIPAN, France's Official UAP Investigative Office, Discusses Science and the Study of Aerial Mysteries |url=https://thedebrief.org/the-new-director-of-geipan-frances-official-uap-investigative-office-discusses-science-and-the-study-of-aerial-mysteries/ |website=The Debrief |language=en-US}}</ref> {{div col end}}
==See also== *List of UFO organizations
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.cnes-geipan.fr/ GEIPAN official site] * [http://www.cnes.fr/web/5038-geipan.php Goals and history of GEIPAN] on the CNES website. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090716113225/http://www.ufoevidence.org/newsite/files/GEPANSEPRA.pdf ''From GEPAN to SEPRA: Official UFO studies in France''] (International UFO Review, winter 2000–2001), the earlier years of GEIPAN related by Gildas Bourdais.
{{UFOs}} {{Authority control}}
Category:CNES Category:Government responses to UFOs Category:1977 establishments in France Category:Organizations established in 1977 Category:Space program of France Category:UFO organizations Category:UFO sightings in France