NASA rover spots unusual iron-rich rock on Mars
NASA said further analysis is needed to confirm its origin
NASA's Perseverance rover has detected an unusual 80cm rock on Mars that scientists say does not match the surrounding Martian terrain and may have originated elsewhere in the solar system.
The rover captured the image on 19 September while examining bedrock at Vernodden, near Jezero Crater. NASA said in a blog post titled A stranger in our midst? that the rock has been named 'Phippsaksla'.
Mission scientists were surprised by its appearance, noting that its shape and surface differed sharply from nearby rocks. Early tests using Perseverance's SuperCam laser and spectrometers identified a high concentration of iron and nickel — elements considered rare in native Martian crust.
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'This element combination is usually associated with iron–nickel meteorites formed in the core of large asteroids, suggesting that this rock formed elsewhere in the solar system,' NASA reported.
The iron–nickel signature strongly suggests Phippsaksla is a meteorite that may have struck Mars long ago. The rock, roughly the size of a small desk, stands out in a landscape dominated by flat, fragmented formations.
NASA said further analysis is needed to confirm its origin.
This is not the first time an 'alien' rock has been found on Mars. NASA's Curiosity rover previously identified iron–nickel meteorites in Gale Crater, including the one-metre-wide 'Lebanon' in 2014 and 'Cacao' in 2023.
'It has been somewhat unexpected that Perseverance had not seen iron–nickel meteorites within Jezero Crater, particularly given its similar age to Gale Crater,' NASA said. It added that Perseverance may now have detected one just outside the crater, on ancient bedrock formed by past impact activity.
