[higgmeister]

One collision and fragmentation can greatly increase the amount of space debris. It could possibly set off a domino effect as orbital debris increases exponentially with each impact.

Way back when, I read a science fiction story where Canada, in order to thwart global nuclear destruction, drilled holes in the permafrost, dropped charges into them and filled the rest with scrap metal and blew it into the atmosphere.   That ended all space travel and ICBM launches.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I don’t think that would work. To end space travel they’d have to blast the junk into low orbit, which in reality would only rain back down onto earth. Interesting idea, though. Intentionally polluting space.