It is argued that a plausible identification of the surface-originating glow that has been observed on the AE-E satellite and the space shuttle between 140 and 400 km is the OH Meinel band system. The emission appears to be generated by surface interaction with 5 eV O(3P) atoms at high altitude, and with 10 eV O2 molecules below 160 km. The primary factors that favor this identification are the apparent spectral distribution and the deduced radiative lifetime, and if valid, implies that the total equivalent surface brightness of the vehicles is on the order of 10 MR, mainly in the near infrared.