  {\it ProtoEXIST1} is a pathfinder for the {\it EXIST-HET}, a coded aperture
hard X-ray telescope with a 4.5 m$^2$ CZT detector plane a 90$\times$70 degree
field of view to be flown as the primary instrument on the {\it EXIST} mission
and is intended to monitor the full sky every 3 h in an effort to locate GRBs
and other high energy transients. {\it ProtoEXIST1} consists of a 256 cm$^2$
tiled CZT detector plane containing 4096 pixels composed of an 8$\times$8 array
of individual 1.95 cm $\times$ 1.95 cm $\times$ 0.5 cm CZT detector modules
each with a 8 $\times$ 8 pixilated anode configured as a coded aperture
telescope with a fully coded $10^\circ\times10^\circ$ field of view employing
passive side shielding and an active CsI anti-coincidence rear shield, recently
completed its maiden flight out of Ft. Sumner, NM on the 9th of October 2009.
During the duration of its 6 hour flight on-board calibration of the detector
plane was carried out utilizing a single tagged 198.8 nCi Am-241 source along
with the simultaneous measurement of the background spectrum and an observation
of Cygnus X-1. Here we recount the events of the flight and report on the
detector performance in a near space environment. We also briefly discuss {\it
ProtoEXIST2}: the next stage of detector development which employs the {\it
NuSTAR} ASIC enabling finer (32$\times$32) anode pixilation. When completed
{\it ProtoEXIST2} will consist of a 256 cm$^2$ tiled array and be flown
simultaneously with the ProtoEXIST1 telescope.
