Through the use of live-video and audio Java applets, huge numbers of Net users were able to tune in to NASA's live TV broadcasts as the problems and successes of the Mars mission unfolded.

NASA's own site almost ground to a halt as the anticipated million hits figure was almost certainly exceeded.

Here in New Zealand, ClearNet were forced to restrict access to their live video feed to NZ-only users as it appears there was significant international access to the site when huge numbers of Net users found so many of the other Vosaic NASA feed servers overloaded.

Not surprisingly, NASA, CNN and other news services were quite slow in getting the initial images to the Web. The jubilation of all involved was clear to see and the quality of the images is awe-inspiring. I suspect those who were supposed to be handling the Web work were too busy just looking at this incredible stuff.

By capturing live footage from the NASA TV broadcast, 7am News was able to consistently beat all the other major news sites to the Web over the weekend, sometimes by an hour or more. These images were not as good quality as the final ones posted by NASA but certainly drew a crowd of impatient Web surfers.

As the interest from the mainstream broadcast media wanes over the coming weeks it appears as if the Web will be the best place to turn for the latest information and images.

The key sites to watch are:

• www.jpl.nasa.gov
  For the latest mission status reports
• mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov
  The primary mission information site
• CNN.com
  Regular news updates
• 7am.com/mars
  First to the Web with new images

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