They've already demonstrated they can orbit, they just choose not to. Reaching orbit and orbiting the planet are two different things. Saying that that is not reaching orbit is like saying McDonalds is failing at serving breakfast all day because they chose not to serve breakfast after 11:00 to meet their goals.

>Reaching orbit and orbiting the planet are two different things.

LOL. Are you serious?

To reach orbit: to reach a horizontal speed such that the spacecraft can complete a revolution around the celestial object while in free fall, without having to execute any additional maneuvers.

Starship has yet to reach orbit. The reason doesn't matter. It hasn't done it.

In your world, you can't run even though you get up to running speed but you chose to walk. You sound so dumb.