NASA identifies unusual Martian rock that may be a metallic meteorite

A very different rock formation has caught the attention of NASA’s Perseverance mission team. The object, recently found outside Jezero Crater, may be a rare iron-nickel meteorite.

A discovery that doesn’t match its surroundings

The rock — nicknamed Phippsaksla — is about 80 centimeters wide and stands out noticeably in the landscape. While nearby formations are low, flat, and heavily eroded, this one rises above the terrain with a carved, metallic-looking surface, completely unlike the rocks around it.

Perseverance captured images of the object on two separate dates, September 2 and 19, 2025. However, the official announcement was released only months later due to the prolonged U.S. government shutdown that delayed NASA communications.

A possible visitor from another part of the Solar System

After examining the rock with the SuperCam instrument, scientists detected high concentrations of iron and nickel — the typical composition of metallic meteorites that originate from the cores of large asteroids. This suggests that Phippsaksla did not form on Mars: it likely traveled through space before eventually landing on the Red Planet.

According to Candice Bedford, a researcher at Purdue University and author of NASA’s official release, the rock deserves the nickname “a stranger among us” because it does not resemble anything the rover has recently seen in the region.

Not the first metallic meteorite found on Mars

Although remarkable, this object isn’t unique. Other rovers have identified similar meteorites on Mars. In 2014, Curiosity found Lebanon, a rock over 1 meter wide. In 2023, the rover discovered Cacao. The Spirit and Opportunity missions also recorded several metallic meteorites between 2004 and 2018.

These findings help scientists understand not only Mars’ geological past but also the impact history

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