We compare proton measurements (5-150 MeV) made on two geosynchronous
satellites during the October 22, 1989 solar cosmic ray event to those
from ground-based neutron monitors. The satellite and ground instrume
nts detected similar signatures in the solar protons for this event: a
n intense initial 'spike' made up of two individual peaks followed by
a longer, slower pulse. The height of the spike relative to the pulse
was larger for higher measured energies. Most of the differences betwe
en the event's characteristics as seen on the ground and in orbit may
be attributed to the different energy regimes sampled by the different
detectors: < 150 MeV for the satellites, compared to > 450 MeV for th
e neutron monitors. The existence of the spike at low energies argues
against an interpretation of the spike's origin as primary solar neutr
ons.