Case Study: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics achieves improved reliability and near‑real‑time C++ spacecraft data processing with Rogue Wave Software's Klocwork

Ensuring reliability and stability of C++ code used to support real-time operation of spacecraft instruments

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado develops C++ software to process near‑real‑time spacecraft instrument data (notably for the GOES‑R mission), where NOAA requires processed results with a one‑second latency. To reduce the risk of software failures in these high‑reliability, time‑critical systems, LASP adopted Rogue Wave Software’s Klocwork Insight static code analysis (SCA) to improve the stability and correctness of its data‑processing code.

Rogue Wave Software’s Klocwork Insight was integrated into LASP’s nightly builds to automatically scan code and surface hard‑to‑find defects; it identified array‑bound violations and subtle memory leaks that previous test suites missed. The static analysis improved test coverage, shortened testing/debugging iterations, and increased developer productivity (enabling students to work more independently), with growing adoption across LASP projects.

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

Chris Pankratz

Data Systems Manager