Arctic ice satellite mission has launch failure

This article on the BBC website reports on the failed launch of the recent Cryostat satellite mission. This mission was designed to give much improved readings of the decline of the polar ice cap which has been estimated to be decreasing at a rate of 8% per decade since 1980. The failure has thrown the project into disarray and it is not clear if and when a replacement satellite will be built to make these much-needed measurements.