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The Â鶹ÊÓƵ Earth Escape Explorer (CU-E3) cube satellite team is in Washington, DC, this week for Technology Day on the Hill, an annual event demonstrating aerospace technology to members of Congress and their staffs.

Sponsored by NASA, the day features both public and private aerospace projects.

CU-E3 is a small shoebox-sized satellite being designed and built by students with professor Scott Palo serving as principle investigaor. The effort is all a part of NASA's Cube Quest Challenge Deep Space Derby competition.

The goal of the team is to build a CubeSat that can communicate from an orbit up to four million kilometers (about 2.5 million miles) away from Earth. The team last year advanced to the next round of competition and won a spot on NASA's upcoming SLS launch. They're now fundraising to help ensure the satellite can become a reality. They are working to raise $100,000. To contribute, visit