NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover, after more than five years on the Red Planet, has made an intriguing discovery: a rock named Phipsaxra, found in the Belnodden area of Jezero Crater, which may actually be a meteorite. Measuring about 31 inches wide, Phipsaxra’s composition, rich in iron and nickel, suggests it might not be native to Mars but rather a remnant of space that impacted the planet in the past.
The rock’s unique shape and size caught the attention of scientists, leading to in-depth analysis with the rover’s advanced Mastcam-Z and SuperCam instruments to confirm its chemical makeup. While iron-nickel meteorites have been found elsewhere on Mars, this discovery is significant because it adds to our understanding of the planet’s geological history.
Perseverance has been busy since its February 2021 landing, collecting rock samples and delivering insights into ancient lake beds and volcanic features, thus providing clues about Mars’ potential for past life. Although it cannot return samples to Earth by itself, it has laid the groundwork for a future mission to retrieve them. The rover continues to operate without a set end date, suggesting more discoveries lie ahead.
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