Live images from NASA's latest mission to Mars can be accessed from today at www.marspolarlander.com, a website constructed by US firms Cable & Wireless, F5 Networks and Network Appliance.

Some 250 million hits are expected on the site in the first few hours after the landing on Mars, scheduled for 4.30 a.m. Irish time today. Described as a scalable, content distribution platform, images from the red planet will be distributed from servers at strategic locations on Cable & Wireless' network. This allows faster access and conserves bandwidth.

The Mars Polar Lander mission, which will continue until March, was launched from NASA's base at Cape Canaveral on January 3rd.