Galileo, the European rival to the American GPS system, launched its first satellite from Kazakhstan this morning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4555298.stm

I think this, despite being pretty damned expensive, is a good thing, ending America's monopoly on all things space-related. Hopefully this is the first step towards greater European space endevours.

The mission control is in Guildford though; "Guildford, we have a problem" doesn't quite have the same ring to it....