GEPAN / SEPRA / GEIPAN (France)

From GEPAN To SEPRA: Official UFO studies in France (PDF)

Gildas Bourdais, International UFO Reporter, Winter 2000-2001

It is well known that France created an official - or quasi-official – organization for the study of UFOs, first called GEPAN in 1977 and later SEPRA in 1988. But the real story is not so well known, even in France, mainly because it was surrounded by controversy.

GEIPAN - Offical website of France's UFO research program (2006)

Official website of GEIPAN, the new resumed version of France's GEPAN/SEPRA UFO study project. This program is an official French government project, and is conducted under the official French space agency CNES (the equivalent of NASA in the US). The new director, Yves Sillard, was a former director of CNES, and has numerous other high positions and achievements to his credit. (The site is in French.)

GEIPAN - Official website with background info about GEIPAN (English)

Official website of GEIPAN, the new resumed version of France's GEPAN/SEPRA UFO study project.

GEIPAN Official Website Containing Released Case Files (in French)

France became the first country to open its files on UFOs Thursday when the national space agency unveiled a website documenting more than 1,600 sightings spanning five decades.

Offical UFO Investigations in France: the GEPAN/SEPRA Project (Sturrock Panel Report on UFO Physical Evidence)

F. Louange and J-J Velasco, Sturrock Panel Report - Physical Evidence Related to UFO Reports - Appendix 1

For more than 20 years, the French space agency has conducted a non-military but official investigation into UFO reports. In its first phase, the project was named GEPAN and its focus was primarily on UFO reports. Subsequently, the project was renamed SEPRA and was assigned a more general responsibility for studying all atmospheric reentry phenomena. This appendix gives a brief summary of the history, mission, operations and achievements of this project.  R

Official French Gov't UFO study project to resume with new director

Various sources - October, 2005

The French Government, and its offical national space agency CNES, will restart its official UFO study program. The French gov't has had an offical program to study UFOs for several decades, called GEPAN / SEPRA. It was closed recently, but after an audit, it will now be restarted, with a new director, Yves Sillard.  R

Assessment of the UFO phenomenon by GEPAN (1978)

Claude Poher, GEPAN Report to the Scientific Committee, June, 1978

Positive conclusions from the GEPAN Report to the Scientific Committee, June, 1978: "In 60% of the cases reported here, the description of this phenomenon is apparently one of a flying machine whose origin, modes of lifting and/or propulsion are totally outside our knowledge." R

Comments on closure of SEPRA

Gildas Bourdais, UFO Updates Mailing List, May 2004

In short, yes, the "SEPRA" no longer exists, but Jean-Jacques Velasco is still in charge of Ufos at CNES. Since he was alone at the job, it's not a big deal. R

France opens secret UFO files covering 50 years

AFP (Agence France Press), Mar. 22, 2007

France became the first country to open its files on UFOs Thursday when the national space agency unveiled a website documenting more than 1,600 sightings spanning five decades.  R

France puts secret UFO archive on Web (Associated Press, 3-2007)

John Leicester, Associated Press, March 23, 2007

France is the first country to put its entire weird sightings archive online, said Jacques Patenet, who heads the space agency's UFO cell - the Group for Study and Information on Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena.  R

French Gendarmerie Nationale is an official source of reports for SEPRA

UFOs at Close Sight

This document explains the relations between the French Gendarmerie Nationale (a part of the French army who deals with civilian police missions. A Gendarmerie Nationale's official duty is to collect and transmit to the SEPRA scientific panel any testimony, proof, picture, related to the UFO phenomenon. Gendarmerie takes great care of this, they never mock anyone reporting a ufo!

French Get a Look at Nation's UFO Files (Washington Post - 3-2007)

The Washington Post, (March 23, 2007)

The voluntary decision by France's National Center for Space Studies to dump more than 100,000 pages of witness testimony, photographs, film footage and audiotapes from its secret UFO archives onto its Internet site, http://www.cnes.fr, for worldwide viewing is an unprecedented move among Western countries.  R

G.E.P.A.N. (1977-1988) (in French)

R.R.0

History of the official French government program to study UFOs.

Interview with CNES spokesman regarding closure of SEPRA

Gregory Gutierez, May 28, 2004

Some news about the destiny of the french SEPRA. An interview with Arnaud Benedetti, who's in charge of the official communication of the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES). R

Open Letter to the Skeptics by Jean-Jacques Velasco of SEPRA

UFOs at Close Sight / Sciences Frontières, N. 29

A certain number of observations of UFO which were the subject of thorough investigations remain unexplained. By sharing his opinions on this complex matter, Jean-Jacques Velasco, director of the SEPRA, raises this question: Why are sciences known as "exact" not interested in studying UFOs, and why were the studies started in the years 70-80 stopped?  R

SEPRA analyses film of daylight UFO 10m above the ground

UFOs at Close Sight

This article was published on 09.11.1998 in the French newspaper "La Depêche." Sunday evening, an amateur filmed during two minutes a mysterious unidentified object. The video cassette was handed to the CNES of Toulouse which considers the case "exceptional."

SEPRA closed, SEPRA not closed ... Open the archives to the public!

Patrick Gross / UFOs at Close Sight, May 2004

France has a long history of continuing official interest in UFO reports, in the shape of a service of its small NASA-equivalent called CNES, the Center for Space Studies. CNES spokesman Benedetti said that SEPRA as a service does not exist anymore since January 2004. A petition by French ufologists has been organized to safeguard and make publicly available the archives from the official government program. R

SEPRA Going Slowly Down, France 2004

UFOs at Close Sight / La Dépêche du Midi, June 8, 2004

Article in French newspaper reporting on the closure of the SEPRA program. "The rare Aerospace Phenomena Expertise Service (SEPRA), based at the National Center for Space Studies (CNES) in Toulouse, has been closed. While it does not appear in the new CNEW orgchart, activity is continued." R

The CNES and unusual phenomena

CNES Web Magazine

Since 1977, the French space agency has been helping civilian and military authorities understand the precise nature of Un-identified Aerospace Phenomena (PAN). The SEPRA database is comprised of more than 2200 different cases, with some 6000 eyewitness accounts and approximately 100 sightings from aircraft. R

The French GEPAN / SEPRA

UFOs at Close Sight

To this day only one scientific study of the UFO phenomenon as been conducted and it is positive.  R

The French SEPRA: An Interview with Director Jean-Jacques Velasco

UFOs at Close Sight

This interview of Jean Jacques Velasco is an excellent introduction to the work of the french SEPRA Jean Jacques Velasco, member of the french CNES, leads the SEPRA (Service Expertises Phénomènes Rentrées Atmosphérique) which succeeded to the GEPAN in 1988.  R

Times of London Article On Official French UFO Department

Times of London, February 5, 2003

"If the truth really is out there, the French are taking serious steps to find it." Article in the Times discussing the official French UFO research program, "the only permanent government- financed scientific project set up by a developed country to unravel fact from fiction in the debate about UFOs." R

'Yes, UFOs exist': Position statement by SEPRA head, Jean-Jacques Velasco

La Dépêche du Midi, Toulouse, France, April 18, 2004 / Reprinted by UFOs at Close Sight

Jean-Jacques Velasco speaks out at last. Velasco, in a book titled "UFOs... the Evidence", states today without ambiguity that, yes indeed, "they" exist, and yes, "they are of extraterrestrial origin." Velasco was the director of the official French government program to study UFOs, SEPRA, from 1983-2004. R

Démocratie Soucoupique Libérons les archives du SEPRA (in French)

Articles and updates on SEPRA, as well as an online petition by French UFO researchers to safeguard and make public the full archives of SEPRA. (in French)

GEIPAN - Offical website of France's UFO research program (2006)

Official website of GEIPAN, the new resumed version of France's GEPAN/SEPRA UFO study project. This program is an official French government project, and is conducted under the official French space agency CNES (the equivalent of NASA in the US). The new director, Yves Sillard, was a former director of CNES, and has numerous other high positions and achievements to his credit. (The site is in French.)

GEIPAN - Official website with background info about GEIPAN (English)

Official website of GEIPAN, the new resumed version of France's GEPAN/SEPRA UFO study project.

GEIPAN Official Website Containing Released Case Files (in French)

France became the first country to open its files on UFOs Thursday when the national space agency unveiled a website documenting more than 1,600 sightings spanning five decades.

Le S.E.P.R.A. (in French)

In-depth site with background and information on the French UFO study program, SEPRA. Includes a history of the program, technical studies and reports, and a brochure presentation. (in French)

SEPRA - Service d'Expertise des Phénomènes Rares Aérospatiaux (CNES - Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)

The French GEPAN / SEPRA

UFOs at Close Sight

Only once in the world, a government asked a panel of scientist to study the phenomenon in order to come to some conclusions, and gave at least some means toward that end. It happened in France, the scientific group is the SEPRA (formerly GEPAN).