<1000km LEO would take a hundred generations to resume operations.
The collision you note, along with another couple that have occurred, dramatically increased overall trackable debris counts, by thousands, when we only had a few thousand satellites and under a hundred thousand debris items. Secondary collisions were much less of an issue than they are now, and they are now much less of an issue than they will be in five years per current plans.
Also, ball bearings or the military equivalent tungsten BB's, are prefigured for maximum lifespan and maximum distribution, as well as being untrackable from day 1.
<1000km LEO would take a hundred generations to resume operations.
The collision you note, along with another couple that have occurred, dramatically increased overall trackable debris counts, by thousands, when we only had a few thousand satellites and under a hundred thousand debris items. Secondary collisions were much less of an issue than they are now, and they are now much less of an issue than they will be in five years per current plans.
Also, ball bearings or the military equivalent tungsten BB's, are prefigured for maximum lifespan and maximum distribution, as well as being untrackable from day 1.