Highest cricket ball launched by balloon

On 2 May 2014, the England and Wales Cricket Board launched a helium balloon attached to a camera and a cricket ball from Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, UK. The mission achieved an altitude of around 33,000 m, which is above around 99% of the atmosphere, before falling back to Earth by parachute. The cricket ball was launched to begin an international cricket competition involving 18 countries. The ball landed intact in Newbury, UK.

This is around three times the altitude at which commercial jets fly.