[en] Dissociative excitation of CO₂ by electron impact has been studied using the methods of translational spectroscopy and an angular distribution analysis. Earlier time-of-flight studies revealed two overlapping spectra, the slower of which has been attributed to metastable CO(a ³π) fragments. The fast peak is the focus of the present study. Threshold energy, angular distribution, and improved time-of-flight measurements indicate that the fast peak actually consists of five overlapping features. The slowest of the five features (1) is found to consist of the metastable O(⁵S) produced by predissociation of a Σ/sub u/⁺ state of CO₂ into O(⁵S) + CO(a ³π). Oxygen Rydberg fragments originating directly from a different Σ/sub u/⁺ state are believed to make up the next fastest feature (2). Mechanisms for producing the three remaining features are discussed.