Star Wars ‘Ballet’ Scheduled

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Two “Star Wars” satellites that will perform an orbital ballet will be launched here next week aboard a Delta rocket, sources reported today.

The launch, expected next Thursday or Friday, will mark the first flight of a Delta since it was grounded after a failure in May. It also will be the first major space mission for the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization, which manages President Reagan’s missile defense program, popularly known as Star Wars. The agency had hoped to keep the launch secret until a few hours before liftoff, but word leaked today.