Why I want to be a passenger on Mars One

Hannah Earnshaw explains why she wants to be part of the mission to colonise the red planet

I have always been in awe of the night sky, trying to comprehend the vastness of space and the countless wonders it contains. But I have always felt a certain dissatisfaction with only being able to see it at a distance.

One day I imagine that humanity will be able to visit other planets in the solar system, and venture even further to other stars, but this has always seemed very far away. That's the reason why I applied for the Mars One mission, aimed at starting a human colony on Mars - it seemed like a real opportunity to get closer to the rest of the night sky, to give me a chance to be a part of taking humanity into the stars.

Related: Mars One shortlist: five Britons among 100 would-be astronauts