The design and capabilities of the EXIST optical and infra-red telescope (IRT)

The Infra-Red Telescope is a critical element of the EXIST (Energetic X-Ray Imaging Survey Telescope) observatory. The primary goal of the IRT is to obtain photometric and spectroscopic measurements of high redshift (>= 6) gamma ray reaching to the epoque of reionization. The photometric and spectral capabilities of the IRT will allow to use GRB afterglow as probes of the composition and ionization state of the intergalactic medium of the young universe. A prompt follow up (within three minutes) of the transient discovered by the EXIST makes IRT a unique tool for detection and study of these events in the infrared and optical wavelength, which is particularly valuable at wavelengths unavailable to the ground based observatories. We present the results of the mission study development on the IRT as part of the EXIST observatory.