

If you had already put the satellite down you've lost that opportunity. A nation that's at panic level 3+ might end up getting attacked, and you can reduce its panic level by responding to it. Unless you're finishing coverage on a continent, you don't get any immediate benefit, and unless you fail a mission a nation won't leave the council (they leave if the report comes in and they're at 5 panic).

I believe there are slight variations in a lot of these, and panic may even go up somewhat randomly in individual nations which weren't attacked.
