A space vehicle in Earth orbit experiences bombardment with fast (aboaut 8 km/sec) atmospheric articles, the principal of which is atomic oxygen, by virtue of its orbital velocity. Several satellite systems that have been or may be adversely affected by atmospheric impact are described. The current knowledge of the gas-surface interactions of atomic oxygen and the available experimental technology for laboratory simulation of atmospheric bombardment in orbit are reviewed. The DMSP EAS offset anomaly is described and evidence for linking this misbehavior to atmospheric oxygen atom impact is presented and discussed. The results of a laboratory experiment to test this link are presented.