The surface position indicator is a single display on panel F7 that is active during entry and during the entry portion of RTLS. The SPI displays the actual and commanded positions of the elevons, body flap, rudder, aileron and speed brake.

The four elevon position indicators show the elevon positions in the order of appearance as viewed from behind the vehicle (from left to right: left outboard, left inboard, right inboard, right outboard). The scales all range from plus 20 to minus 35 degrees, which are also the software limits to the elevon commands. The pointers are driven by four separate signals and can read different values, but normally the left pair is identical and the right pair is identical. Positive elevon is below the null line and negative is above.

The body flap scale reads body flap positions from zero to 100 percent of software-allowed travel. Zero percent corresponds to full up (minus 11.7 degrees); 100 percent corresponds to full down (plus 22.5 degrees). The small pointer at 35 percent is fixed and shows the trail position.

Rudder position is displayed as if viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Deflection to the left of center represents left rudder. The scale is plus 30 degrees (left) to minus 30 degrees (right), but software limits the rudder command to plus or minus 27.1 degrees.

The aileron display measures the effective aileron function of the elevons in combination. Aileron position equals the average of the left and right elevon divided by two. Deflection of the pointer to the right of center indicates a roll-right configuration (left elevons down, right elevons up) and vice versa. The scale is minus 5 to plus 5 degrees, with minus 5 at the left side. The aileron command can exceed plus or minus 5 degrees (maximum plus or minus 10 degrees), in which case the meter saturates at plus or minus 5 degrees.

The speed brake position indicator indicates the actual position on the upper scale and commanded position on the lower scale. The position ranges zero to 100 percent; zero percent is fully closed and 100 percent is fully open, which corresponds to 98 degrees with respect to the hinge lines. The small point at 25 percent is fixed and represents the point at which the speed brake surfaces and the remainder of the tail form a smooth wedge.

The speed brake command is scaled identically to position and has the same travel limits. It always represents the speed brake auto guidance command. The off flag is set only for internal meter problems or during OPS 8 display checkout.