André Lebeau (March 4, 1932 – February 25, 2013) was a French aerospace engineer, administrator, and author who served as the President of the National Center for Space Studies (CNES), Deputy Director General and Director of Programs at the

European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 23-member International organization, international organization devoted to space exploration. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, ESA was founded in 1975 ...

, president of

EUMETSAT The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is an intergovernmental organisation created through an international convention agreed by a current total of 30 European Member States. EUMETSAT's primary ...

, Vice President of

World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology an ...

, and Director General of

Météo-France Météo-France is the official French meteorological administration, also offering services to Andorra and Monaco. It has the powers of the state and can exercise them in relation to meteorology. Météo-France is in charge of observing, study ...

. He authored several books on space and environmental topics. Lebeau received various honors including France's highest order of merit,

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

.Pierre Morel,
L'Archicube
', no. 15b, February 2014, p. 201-205

Early life and education

Lebeau was born in

Montceau-les-Mines Montceau-les-Mines () is a Communes of France, commune in the Saône-et-Loire Departments of France, department in the Regions of France, region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is the second-largest commune of the metropolitan C ...

Saône-et-Loire Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part. Saône-et-Loire is B ...

. He studied at

Lycée Saint-Louis The Lycée Saint-Louis () is a selective post-secondary school located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, 6th arrondissement of Paris, in the Latin Quarter. It is the only state-funded French lycée that exclusively offers ''Classe Préparatoir ...

before attending the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he received a degree in physical sciences in 1952. In 1956, he passed the ''

agrégation In France, the () is the most competitive and prestigious examination for civil service in the French public education A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all stu ...

'' examination in physical sciences. Lebeau received his doctorate in science in 1965, with the thesis titled ''Les courants électriques dans l'ionosphère des régions polaires'' (English: Electric Currents in the Ionosphere of the Polar Regions).

Career

In 1958, Lebeau participated in the 2nd

French Antarctic Expedition The French Antarctic Expedition is any of several French expeditions in Antarctica. 1837–1840 In 1837, during an 1837–1840 expedition across the deep southern hemisphere, Captain Jules Dumont d'Urville sailed his ship ''Astrolabe'' alo ...

, supporting the construction of the Dumont d'Urville base during the

International Geophysical Year The International Geophysical Year (IGY; ), also referred to as the third International Polar Year, was an international scientific project that lasted from 1 July 1957 to 31 December 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War w ...

. In 1961, he founded and directed the Ionospheric Research Group, a collaboration between telecommunications, geophysical, and scientific research organizations. Lebeau joined the French Space Agency (CNES) in 1965 as Director of Programs and Planning. He later served as Deputy Director General for Industrial Policy Programs (1972–1975). He then worked at the

from 1975 to 1980 as Deputy Director General and Director of Programs.

Roles

Honors and awards

Lebeau received various honors including: * Franck J. Malina Astronautics Medal *

French National Order of Merit French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

Publications

Lebeau was the author of several books on space and technology as well as environmental issues. He is also the author of important physics work on the upper atmosphere and geomagnetism. * * * * * * * * *

Bibliography

* Pierre Morel, "", ''L'Archicube'', no. 15b, February 2014, p. 201-205 read online

archive
.
Biographie André Lebeau Professeur honoraire au Conservatoire national des arts et métiers
''

Who's Who in France The pronoun ''who'', in English, is an interrogative pronoun and a relative pronoun, used primarily to refer to persons. Unmarked, ''who'' is the pronoun's subjective form; its inflected forms are the objective ''whom'' and the possessive ...

'' * Gaubert (Alain), ''Entretiens avec André Lebeau'', Chantilly, Tessier et Ashpool, 2013 * Laurec (Alain), ''Éloge du Professeur André Lebeau'', Académie de Marine, ''Communications et mémoires'', Année académique 2015–2016, n° 2 (January–March 2016), p. 17-24. Bureau of Longitudes

References

External links

Legacy tribute
on

Bureau des Longitudes __NOTOC__ The ''Bureau des Longitudes'' () is a French scientific institution, founded by decree of 25 June 1795 and charged with the improvement of nautical navigation, standardisation of time-keeping, geodesy and astronomical observation. Durin ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lebeau, Andre French scientists French aerospace engineers Recipients of the Ordre national du Mérite 1932 births 2013 deaths CNES presidents People from Montceau-les-Mines Recipients of the Legion of Honour École Normale Supérieure alumni European Space Agency personnel Lycée Saint-Louis alumni Météo-France staff French meteorologists French civil servants