NASA’s Perseverance rover has identified a meteorite on the surface of Mars, marking the first confirmed non-Martian rock found during its four-year exploration of the Jezero Crater. The discovery, named “Phippsaksla,” is significant because it breaks the pattern of all previously analyzed rocks originating from the planet itself.
An Outlier Among Martian Rocks
The unusual boulder, approximately 31 inches in diameter, stands out due to its distinct sculpted appearance and, more importantly, its chemical composition. Analysis reveals a high concentration of iron and nickel – elements uncommon in Martian geology but prevalent in meteorites. This suggests the rock formed elsewhere in the solar system before crash-landing on Mars millions or billions of years ago.
This isn’t the first time NASA rovers have stumbled upon extraterrestrial rocks on Mars. Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity have previously identified potential meteorites. However, the absence of such findings in Perseverance’s initial exploration of Jezero Crater had begun to raise questions among scientists, given the crater’s geological similarities to Gale Crater, where Curiosity operates.
Delayed Announcement Due to Government Shutdown
The discovery was made on September 19th (Sol 1,629 of the mission), but its public announcement was delayed by the recent U.S. government shutdown. NASA’s statement, drafted on October 1st, was only released after the shutdown ended on November 13th. The timing underscores how even robotic missions can be impacted by terrestrial politics.
Martian Meteorites: A Two-Way Street
Interestingly, while finding meteorites on Mars is rare, Earth has received numerous rocks ejected from Mars due to large impacts. These Martian meteorites have proven invaluable to scientists, offering insights into the Red Planet’s composition without the need for direct sample return missions. One recent study found that approximately 200 of these meteorites originated from just five impact craters on Mars. This highlights the limited, yet concentrated, source of these interplanetary travelers.
The discovery of Phippsaksla reinforces the idea that Mars, like Earth, experiences cosmic bombardment and that studying these external arrivals can provide a broader understanding of the solar system’s dynamics.
