The GEIPAN: Missions, History, Methodology and Classification

GEIPAN (Groupe d’Études et d’Informations sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non Identifiés) is a technical department of CNES tasked with collecting, analysing, investigating and archiving UAP reports while informing the public. The document traces its evolution since 1977 and describes a reproducible seven-step methodology: receipt of testimony, file creation, initial analysis, full investigation, classification (A: explained, B: probably explained, C: insufficient data, D: unexplained after investigation), anonymisation, and publication. Statistics show that roughly two-thirds of cases are explained as misidentifications or known phenomena, around 30% lack sufficient data, and only 2–3% remain unexplained after thorough study. The paper stresses that unexplained cases do not imply extraterrestrial origin and that no evidence of alien visitation has been found; the focus remains scientific explanation and public transparency.