The EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) is a balloon-borne mission dedicated to measuring spectroscopic phase curves of hot Jupiter-type exoplanets. Phase curve measurements can be used to characterize an exoplanet's longitude-dependent atmospheric composition and energy circulation patterns. EXCITE carries a 0.5 m primary mirror and a moderate resolution diffraction-limited spectrograph with spectral coverage from 0.8 to 3.5 μm. EXCITE is designed to fly from a long-duration balloon. EXCITE will observe through the peak of a target's spectral energy distribution and through spectral signatures of hydrogen and carbon-containing molecules. In this paper, we present the science goals of EXCITE, detail the as-built instrument, and discuss its performance during a 2024 engineering flight from Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
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