 Continuous rigid-motion symmetry of a simple closed space curve

A simple closed curve in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ preserved by a nonconstant smooth family of proper rigid motions is a circle. Differentiating the normalized family at the identity gives a nonzero infinitesimal proper Euclidean motion tangent to the curve. Compactness rules out its line and nonclosed helical orbits, leaving a circular rotation orbit.