Overview
- The desk-sized rock, named Phippsaksla, is about 80 centimeters across and stands out with a sculpted shape in the Vernodden area along the rim of Jezero Crater.
- Perseverance’s SuperCam used laser spectroscopy to analyze the target and detected an exceptionally high iron and nickel content.
- NASA scientists say that composition is typical of iron–nickel meteorites from asteroid cores, suggesting the rock formed off Mars, though confirmation is pending.
- The mission team plans additional in‑situ analyses to verify provenance and will decide whether to investigate or sample the object further.
- Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit have previously documented iron–nickel meteorites on Mars, including the “Lebanon” (2014) and “Cacao” (2023) finds, making this a notable potential first for Perseverance in Jezero.