At the suggestion of the Planetology Subcommittee of the Space Sciences Steering Committee, an active engineering seismic experiment originally proposed by J. S. Watkins, J. Cl. De Bremaecker, and M. F. Kane was incorporated into the Early Apollo Active Seismic Experiment originally proposed by R. L. Kovach . J. S. Watkins was made co-experimenter for the Early Apollo Active Seismic Experiment with the responsibility of developing the engineering seismic part of the experiment (sometimes called the Short Array); R. L. Kovach was appointed the principal investigator for the experiment with overall responsibility for the development of the experiment , and particular responsibility for the development of his mortar-firing device (sometimes called the Long Array).
The engineering seismic experiment was designed to provide data on thickness, bearing strength, and other physical properties of the mare surface and on the properties of the material immediately beneath it. These data are critical to the full interpretation of the fine structure of the lunar surface and the history of its formation, and are also important for evaluating characteristics of the lunar surface which affect safety systems, design, and conduct of later lunar missions.
