We have conducted flow reactor experiments for NO formation from N2/O2 mixtures at high temperatures and atmospheric pressure, controlling accurately temperature and reaction time. Under these conditions, atomic oxygen equilibrates rapidly with O2. The experimental results were interpreted by a detailed chemical model to determine the rate constant for the reaction N2 + O ⇌ NO + N (R1). We obtain k1 = 1.4 × 1014 exp(−38,300/T) cm3 mol−1 s−1 at 1700–1800 K, with an error limit of ±30%. This value is 25% below the recommendation of Baulch et al. for k1, while it corresponds to a value k1b of the reverse reaction 25% above the Baulch et al. evaluation. Combination of our results with literature values leads to a recommended rate constant for k1b of 9.4 × 1012 T0.14 cm3 mol−1 s−1 over 250–3000 K. This value, which reconciles the differences between the forward and reverse rate constant, is recommended for use in kinetic modeling.