1. A method of monitoring the location, and the orientation of a machine element, comprising: providing a plurality of targets in known positions relative to the machine element, providing a total station at a known location near said machine element, repeatedly, successively determining the location of each target using said total station by directing a beam of laser light from said total station repeatedly in succession to each of said plurality of targets, and measuring the distances from said total station to each of said plurality of targets and the directions to each of said plurality of targets, storing the detected locations of each of said targets and the movement history of each of said targets, and predicting the locations of each of said targets as said laser beam is directed repeatedly in succession to each of said targets, whereby the reacquisition of said targets is facilitated, and determining the orientation of said machine element based on the locations of said plurality of targets.