We investigate the effect of vibrational excitation on the dynamics and kinetics of the atmospheric reaction O( 3 P) + HO 2 f OH + O 2 using two double many-body expansion potential energy surfaces previously reported. The results show that such an effect is relatively minor even considering HO 2 with contents of vibrational excitation close to the H + O 2 dissociation asymptote. It should therefore not bear drastic implications in atmospheric modeling where such an effect has been ignored thus far.