Technically I think orbit can be achieved ballistically, or even planetary/solar escape but the overwhelming majority of projectiles do land. And some of them very hard, others barely get off the ground. All of which makes it quite a good metaphor really although not the originally intended one.

Ballisticality has a lot less to do with sustaining the trajectory than attaining a minimal orbital velocity, or escape velocity.

NB: Ballisticality isn't a word. Pity.

That's really special. And appropriate here.