Michigan Tech received a two-year contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to build a nanosatellite to monitor communications emissions from geostationary satellites.  The vehicle, dubbed “Auris” which is latin for “The Ear,” will receive and spatially map spot beams emitted from higher-orbiting satellites.  The Auris contract is part of the AFRL University Nanosatellite program.  The University Nanosat Program’s objective is to train tomorrow’s space professionals by providing a rigorous, four year, concept-to-flight-ready spacecraft competition for U. S. higher education institutions and to enable small satellite research and development (R&D), integration and flight test.