To determine the distance to the target, the gunman shines a laser rangefinder attached to the rifle at whatever is shielding the enemy.

ECONOMIST: Military technology

Laser Rangefinder: Again, I have exhaustively tested several brands of handheld GPS devices alongside laser rangefinders, and I now carry only the latter.

FORBES: Best Gear for the Traveling Golfer

The functioning equipment on the probe includes a device to measure the asteroid's magnetism, a spectrometer to examine its composition, an electronic camera and a laser rangefinder to survey its precise shape.

BBC: At a glance: Asteroid touchdown