China set to launch first Guowang megaconstellation satellites on Long March 5B

HELSINKI — China appears set to launch the first satellites for a long-expected national low Earth orbit megaconstellation after rollout of a Long March 5B rocket at Wenchang spaceport. Images posted on Chinese social media site Sina Weibo Dec. 10 show a Long March 5B rocket on the pad at Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island. This, along with an announced temporary restricted airspace over Wenchang running to Dec. 16, indicate a launch in the coming days. Leaked mission patches suggest the payload for the mission will be Guowang satellites for China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd. (China SatNet),…