Many have called them all kind of names for wanting to go on a one-way ticket to Mars—with no hope of a return. More than 200,000 people applied to leave Earth in 2024 and 100 prospective astronauts were shortlisted for the ambitious £3.5billion mission.

For these people, the future of humanity is in space travel and they are helping to make this happen.

A British  astrophysics PhD student-Maggie Lieu, 24, who was one of five Britons shortlisted for the Mars One mission, which aims to send people to live – and die – on the red planet has pulled out.

She has in the past said ‘Mars is a challenge. It is highly risky, and an enormous responsibility as well as an adventure.’ And had wanted to be the first woman to have a baby on Mars.

The student has had a change of heart and she wouldn’t be going. She took to twitter to write; ‘You should probably know that I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Mars One program. Still I wish them the best of luck.’

Definitely, her family and friends will be happy about the withdrawal decision since many see this mission as nothing more than a suicide mission.

Ms Lieu is a student the University of Birmingham.