We present a new experimental approach to the study of vibrational relaxation of highly vibrationally excited molecules at solid surfaces. We observe NO in v = 13 and 15 losing up to five vibrational quanta in collisions with an O-covered copper surface. The data indicate this vibrational relaxation occurs via a direct scattering mechanism. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(99)70622-7].