European Space Agency

Though there are currently no removal efforts active in orbit, the European Space Agency has plans to launch its first clean-up mission, called ClearSpace-1, in 2028.

Nasa and the European Space Agency have developed technologies to nudge dangerous asteroids off course.

Last year, Dr Coogan completed basic training with the European Space Agency and received her graduation certificate at a special ceremony in Cologne in Germany.

In a project funded by the European Space Agency, the Danish Technological Institution plans to test if a microalgae can be grown on the International Space Station.

Geraint Jones, BepiColombo's project scientist at the European Space Agency, added: "In the next few weeks, the BepiColombo team will work hard to unravel as many of Mercury's mysteries with the data from this flyby as we can."