GEIPAN

The Groupe d' études et d'informations sur les phénomènes aérospatiaux non Identifies ( GEIPAN to German Study Group for information about unidentified air and space phenomena ) is a department of the French National Centre for Space Studies ( Centre national d' études spatiales, CNES ). The department was founded in 2005 and is based in Toulouse. It is the successor to the departments GEPAN (1977-1988) and SEPRA ( 1988-2004 ).

The task of GEIPAN is reports of unidentified aerial and space phenomena, so-called UFOs to collect, analyze, archive, and to inform the public about the results.

History

History (1945-1977)

The first UFO sightings in France, who found greater attention, occurred after the Second World War. The reports were sent to the headquarters of the French Air Force in the Office of Long-term studies (French Bureau Prospective et Etudes ). Early 1950s also began the Gendarmerie receive corresponding messages and forward them to the Air Force. Since the messages constantly anwuchsen and there was increasing interest in UFOs, it was decided a separate department for their investigation to set up.

GEPAN (1977-1988)

1977 ( to German Study Group unidentified air and space phenomena GEPAN ) established on the initiative of the French Government, the Groupe d' étude of phénomènes aérospatiaux non- Identifies, . This should examine as permanent study the UFO phenomenon. The first director of the group was the astrophysicist and space engineer Dr. Claude Poher, who had previously headed the department Systems and Projects at CNES. In the first detailed report of 1978, the 1974 to 1978 covers the years that GEPAN could not clear up of 678 cases examined, 263. This corresponds to 38% (cases with a lack of basic data therein are not included).

The investigators came in its investigation concluded that the unidentified in some cases " objects were compatible with flying machines whose flight physics is our expert unknown. " 1979 presented Poher the scientific steering committee, which projects the GEPAN, his conviction that the UFO phenomenon can not be explained conventionally. In the same year left Poher the GEPAN for personal reasons and was replaced by Alain Esterle. During the following years the funds rose until they were driven back steadily due to changed political conditions and general budget problems CNES early 1980, and the group eventually disbanded in 1988.

SEPRA (1988-2004)

The successor of the GEPAN was the Service d' expertise of phénomènes de rentrée atmosphérique ( SEPRA to German expert department for re-entry phenomena in the atmosphere) under the direction of Jean -Jacques Velasco, the former deputy of Esterle. The SEPRA was now responsible for the monitoring of satellites and rocket parts, which reentered the atmosphere. UFOs were only secondary, and the means for their study very limited. Own research results could not be commissioned. However, it still ran an all releases of UFO sightings from the authorities and Air France in the SEPRA, so that at least one data collection and analysis was further possible, though in comparatively small extent.

2001 the new director of CNES, Gérard Brachet prompted a review of SEPRA. A complete closure of the department was also up for grabs as a reactivation of the former GEPAN.

Reasons for the review and the result also in the COMETA report in 1999 and the publication of the book Ovnis seen ( The evidence to German: UFOs) by Velasco 2004 L'Evidence. Both the COMETA Report and Velasco in his book come to the conclusion that the UFO phenomenon could not be explained by conventional and a high probability of extraterrestrial intelligence is their origin.

The review finally recommended the reactivation of GEPAN, which led to the dissolution of the SEPRA and foundation of GEIPAN.

GEIPAN (since 2005)

The GEIPAN again had the very same duties as the former GEPAN, the study of UFOs. First head of the department was the engineer Jacques Patenet. Patenet had previously worked in the Department of rocket launches many years for the CNES. The GEIPAN is headed by a scientific steering committee consisting of representatives of the police, civil aviation, military, and national institutes for research and meteorology. Chairman Yves Sillard, former Director General of CNES. From 2006, the GEIPAN their files on the Internet began to be made freely available (see links).

State of research

By 2008, the GEIPAN arranged all cases into one of four categories: A ( phenomenon identified), B ( phenomenon probably identified), C ( phenomenon lack of data, not identifiable), D ( unidentified phenomenon ). In recent statistics from 2007, the number of unidentified cases in category D will be specified since the group was established with 448 of about 1600, which corresponds to 28%.

However, a new, more differentiated rating system used since 2009 and re- categorizes the different cases.

The official position of GEIPAN regarding UFOs is that no explanation is favored. In addition to data collection and analysis, the GEIPAN much efforts to interest the scientific community for the phenomenon, as may hide behind the UFO phenomenon " truly revolutionary scientific discoveries " according GEIPAN.

Criticism

Skeptics call the GEIPAN and its predecessors as too uncritical and their staff as incompetent. So examples have shown that some classified by the GEIPAN as UFO cases are easy to explain. It is further alleged that testimony of specific groups, such as Police, military personnel, or pilots, they hastily classified as credible. Criticism is also the employees of the GEIPAN are not military personnel, but civilians. This would mean " an entirely different mindset for the staff ", ie Attract people who are motivated, and the UFO phenomenon may be too uncritical of standing.