NASA's Perseverance Rover Spots Potential Iron-Nickel Meteorite "Phippsaxla" in Jezero Crater

The NASA Perseverance rover, a cornerstone of the Mars 2020 mission, has documented a striking rock formation dubbed "Phippsaxla" within the Jezero Crater, specifically in the region known as Vernodden. This object was captured by the Left Mastcam-Z camera on September 19, 2025, corresponding to Martian Sol 1629. "Phippsaxla" immediately distinguishes itself from the surrounding Martian terrain due to its unusually porous texture and substantial size, measuring approximately 80 centimeters across. Preliminary analysis conducted using the SuperCam instrument indicated a significant concentration of iron and nickel, a chemical signature highly characteristic of iron-nickel meteorites.

Iron-nickel meteorites typically originate in the cores of large asteroids. This composition strongly suggests that the rock is not indigenous Martian material but rather a fragment that traveled from outer space. Such objects tend to be well-preserved under the harsh Martian environmental conditions, explaining why they remain on the surface without rapid erosion. Confirmation of "Phippsaxla's" extraterrestrial origin would mark the first discovery of its kind for Perseverance within the Jezero area, although similar fragments have been previously identified by the Curiosity, Opportunity, and Spirit rovers in other Martian locales.

This unexpected discovery holds considerable significance within the broader context of the ongoing search for evidence of ancient microbial life in Jezero Crater. The site was selected for the 2021 landing due to its ancient lakebed deposits and volcanic features. Jezero Crater, situated in the Syrtis Major quadrangle, spans roughly 49 kilometers in diameter and is believed to have once been filled with water. While the core mission of Perseverance remains the hunt for biosignatures, the identification of "Phippsaxla" broadens our comprehension of the planet's geological history and its long-term interaction with the asteroid belt.

Researchers, including Candice Bedford of Purdue University, previously expressed surprise that iron-nickel meteorites had not yet been found in Jezero, given the crater's geological similarities to Gale Crater. For instance, the Curiosity rover successfully investigated the "Lebanon" meteorite in 2014 and the "Cacao" meteorite in 2023. This incident effectively underscores the immense value of long-term robotic exploration, as Perseverance continues its systematic cataloging of diverse rock types across the Martian surface.

The data concerning "Phippsaxla's" identification was officially released by NASA on November 13, 2025, following a delay attributed to a temporary cessation of operations by the U.S. federal government. Scientists are now planning further analysis to definitively confirm the object's status as a meteorite, which would provide direct, tangible evidence of material exchange between Mars and the asteroid belt. This type of finding contrasts sharply with other significant collections, such as the "Cheyava Falls" sample gathered in July 2024, which contained organic compounds and was confirmed to hold potential biosignatures following peer review in the journal Nature in September 2025. The wide variety of materials collected by Perseverance, totaling 33 filled samples as of July 2025, forms the crucial foundation for the upcoming Mars Sample Return mission.