Section A · Scientific researcher (GEPAN/CNES) · 1936–
Claude Poher
Founder and first director of GEPAN · CNES engineer, PhD in astrophysics
Biography
Engineer and astrophysics PhD at CNES who in 1977 founded and led GEPAN, the world's first official scientific body dedicated to studying unidentified aerospace phenomena, inside the French space agency. In 1975 he had co-authored with Jacques Vallée a statistical analysis of reports presented at the AIAA. In 1978 he concluded before GEPAN's scientific council that cases unexplained after rigorous investigation were material objects of unknown origin.
Documents
GEPAN / GEIPAN · CNES agency
GEPAN (Groupe d'Étude des Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non-identifiés) is the service that the French space agency, CNES, created in Toulouse in 1977 under the direction of engineer Claude Poher; it was renamed SEPRA in 1988 and GEIPAN in 2005. It receives reports channelled through the gendarmerie and civil aviation, investigates them and classifies each case from PAN A (fully identified) to PAN D (unidentified despite good-quality data), and has published its case files online since 2007. According to its own statistics, only 2 to 3% of cases remain PAN D. Its benchmark investigation is Trans-en-Provence (1981), which the agency itself does not present as proof of an exotic origin.
Why they're here · 3 pieces
- 1975
Basic Patterns in UFO Observations (con J. Vallée)
Statistical analysis of reports presented at the AIAA
- 1977
Fundación del GEPAN (CNES)
World's first official scientific body dedicated to studying UAP
- 1978
Informe sobre los casos 'categoría D'
Concluded the unexplained cases were material objects of unknown origin
Sources
- GEIPAN — CNES (antes GEPAN) — Official French body studying unidentified aerospace phenomena.
Associated cases (1)
Biography summarized from public sources, classified by section (A-F).