BERLIN (AP) — China and Europe are jointly testing new technology that could help satellites peer through clouds and analyze storms.

The European Space Agency says it has teamed up with China's National Space Center to conduct ground tests on two complementary devices designed to deliver high-resolution images from an orbit of 36,000 kilometers (22,370 miles).

The agency said Wednesday that if the tests are successful, the next stage would be a space mission. It is the first time Europe and China have worked together to test and build an instrument.

Current satellite systems are unable to gather the temperature and humidity data needed to accurately monitor storms.

The tropical cyclones in the northwest Pacific, known as typhoons, pose a serious threat to China and other countries in the region each year.