[en] The kinetics of the reaction N(²D,²P) + NO₂ were studied by using moderated nuclear recoil atoms to generate thermalized metastable atomic nitrogen, ²D and ²P, at a [NO₂]/[N] ratio of 10¹³. Branching ratios were obtained for the following channels of reaction: N + NO₂ → N₂O + O (k/sub 1a/); N + NO₂ → 2NO (k/sub 1b/); N + NO₂ → N₂ + O₂ (k/sub 1c/); N + NO ₂ → N ₂ + 20 (k/sub 1d/). The distribution of channels 1a:1b:(1c + 1d) was measured to be 1.00:0.65:0.27. An upper limit for the overall rate constant for reaction was also evaluated at 3.3 x 10^-13 cm³ molecule^-1s^-1 (293 K) by using competitive kinetic measurements of the formation of radioactive nitrogen-13 labeled products. This rate constant is at least an order of magnitude smaller than previously reported values for the ground-state N(⁴S) + NO₂ reaction