The National Laboratory of Astrophysics has shown its interest and support for the research proposal “Space Science Technologies – SST” submitted to the 'Dutch Research Agenda - Research along routes by Consortia 2020 (NWA-ORC)' call for proposals 2020 by NWO. The OPD is the largest facility for astronomical instrumental resources in Brazil, providing users with a wide range of instruments (spectrographs, photometers, polarimeters, imaging cameras, etc.).

In addition to the observational infrastructure, the LNA has laboratories for the development of scientific instrumentation, some of which are unprecedented in the country and in Latin America. In particular, the LNA's expertise in polishing and assembling optical fibers for scientific instrumentation is one of its internationally recognized competencies. The LNA currently participates in international instrumentation projects for the largest telescopes in the world, such as CUBES and MOSAIC for ESO and PFS for Subaru (Japan), due to the LNA's capabilities in this area.

Although the research aspect is essential for the successful and high-quality fulfillment of its mission, the LNA is, first and foremost, a service provider institution, responsible for international agreements in observational astronomy under the responsibility of the MCTI. Given the LNA's mission, partnerships with the Brazilian and international scientific communities are a fundamental tool for carrying out this task and achieving the results planned for national astronomy. In this sense, the LNA will act as a focal point to provide the means for the Brazilian community to participate in the polarimetric survey and access to instrumentation for other projects. The LNA is already collaborating with the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and other institutes in the development of polarimetric instrumentation available to the Brazilian astronomical community. This provides the necessary knowledge to support and contribute to the project.

FAPESP granted funds to Dr. Antônio Mário Magalhães that enabled the purchase of optics and the construction of a prototype of the wide-field optical polarimeter. This prototype has already been tested during a commissioning of the T80-S telescope. The data showed that the polarimeter provided data limited only by photon noise.

The plan is to build a new mechanical structure to house the optics, as well as the electronics control box. The same optical elements (worth US$90,000) will be used with the new polarimeter. A component of the Savart plate mosaic cracked while it was in the T80-S and will have to be replaced with a new one.

The CCD imaging camera of the new polarimeter will have a STA 1600 CCD (95 x 95 mm2, 10560 x 10560 pix2, 9 μm pixels), Archon controller and cryostat. STA (Semiconductor Technology Associates) will supply the CCD and the camera. Funds (US$353,000) have already been granted by FINEP REF 0942/22 to INPE (Prof. Claudia Rodrigues), in collaboration with LNA and IAG, for the purchase of the STA camera.

Prof. Koji Kawabata (Hiroshima University) offered support for the purchase of computers and related equipment, as well as labor.

A focal reducer (FR) is being designed by the Department of Astrophysics at IMAPP, Radboud University (USD 100,000 and labor) from funds already granted to Prof. Marijke Haverkorn by the European ERC agency. The FR would be planned for the Cassegrain focus of the Yale 1m telescope at CTIO. However, this will not be necessary for the ASA 1m telescope at the LNA, as this telescope is supplied with a corrector lens that can perform the required task.

In view of the joint interest of the National Astrophysics Laboratory (LNA), the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences (IAG/USP) and the International Collaboration SOUTH-POL, led by Radbould University (Netherlands) and Hiroshima University (Japan) and which also involves the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and the State University of Amazonas (UEA), the South-Pol Workshop will take place in Itajubá/MG, to improve the progress of the scientific project and integrate the teams.