Founding of GEPAN
In 1977, the French space agency CNES under Director General Yves Sillard created GEPAN, the Groupe d'Étude des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés, following Defence Minister Robert Galley's public statement on unidentified aerospace phenomena in 1974. Its first phase (1977–1983) concluded that most reports have conventional explanations but a small share of unexplained cases probably has a physical basis.
Background
In 1977, the CNES (French National Centre for Space Studies) created GEPAN (Groupe d'Etude des Phenomenes Aerospatiaux Non-identifies), with Claude Poher as its inaugural director under CNES Director General Yves Sillard.
Background
The establishment of GEPAN followed Defense Minister Robert Galley's public acknowledgment in 1974 regarding unidentified aerospace phenomena. This official recognition paved the way for France to take a systematic, scientific approach to investigating such reports.
Initial Phase and Findings
GEPAN's first phase of operations (1977-1983) produced three key conclusions:
- Most UFO reports can be explained by conventional phenomena
- Some phenomena cannot be explained by conventional physics
- This small percentage of unexplained cases likely has a physical basis
Significance
The creation of GEPAN represented a groundbreaking institutional commitment to studying unidentified aerospace phenomena through official government channels, establishing France as a pioneer in systematic, state-sponsored investigation of such events.