NASA’s Perseverance rover has identified a metallic rock on Mars, potentially a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, due to its high iron and nickel content. The rock, nicknamed ‘Phippsaksla,’ stands out as the first such find for the rover, adding to previous discoveries by earlier missions like Curiosity and Spirit. The finding suggests that meteorites have impacted the Martian surface for millions of years, providing insights into their interactions with the planet’s environment.
The discovery came as the rover’s scientists used its SuperCam instrument to analyze the rock’s composition, revealing a composition that strongly resembles extraterrestrial origins. This finding is significant not only because it could be the first such discovery for Perseverance but also because it adds to the growing body of data on meteorite impacts on Mars. Previous missions, including Curiosity and Spirit, have found similar metallic rock fragments, but the discovery of ‘Phippsaksla’ could offer new insights into how these celestial objects have interacted with the Martian environment over millions of years.
The location of ‘Phippsaksla’ on impact-formed bedrock outside Jezero crater has piqued the interest of scientists, as its placement could provide clues about its formation and how it came to be there. The rover, which has been exploring the Martian surface since landing in February 2021, continues to study the rock’s unusual makeup to confirm its potential meteorite origin. If proven to be a meteorite, the find would mark a long-awaited milestone for Perseverance and highlight the ongoing discoveries that continue to emerge from the red planet.
Perseverance, NASA’s most advanced rover to date, has traveled over 293 million miles to reach Mars after launching on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral. The $2.7 billion rover, built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is about 10 feet long, 9 feet wide, and 7 feet tall, making it roughly 278 pounds heavier than its predecessor, Curiosity. Powered by a plutonium generator, the rover carries seven scientific instruments, a seven-foot robotic arm, and a rock drill that allows it to collect samples that could one day return to Earth.
This mission not only contributes to the understanding of Mars’ geological history but also plays a crucial role in preparing for future human exploration of the planet in the 2030s. As the rover continues its exploration, it remains a vital piece of NASA’s ongoing efforts to unlock the mysteries of the red planet and its potential for past life.