ballistic \ballis"tic\, a.
   1. of or pertaining to the ballista, or to the art of hurling
      stones or missile weapons by means of an engine.
      1913 webster

   2. pertaining to ballistics2, or to a projectile in a
      gravitational field.
      1913 webster +pjc

   3. frenzied; very angry; -- used mostly in the phrase

   go ballistic. colloq.
      pjc

   ballistic pendulum, an instrument consisting of a mass of
      wood or other material suspended as a pendulum, for
      measuring the force and velocity of projectiles by means
      of the arc through which their impact impels it.
      1913 webster
see also:
go ballistic ballistic pendulum 

go ballistic
     v : get very angry and fly into a rage; "the professor combusted
         when the student didn't know the answer to a very
         elementary question"; "spam makes me go ballistic" syn:
         flip one's lid, blow up, throw a fit, hit the roof,
          hit the ceiling, have kittens, have a fit, combust,
          blow one's stack, fly off the handle, flip one's
         wig, lose one's temper, blow a fuse
see also:
flip one's lid blow up throw a fit hit the roof hit the ceiling have kittens 
have a fit combust blow one's stack fly off the handle flip one's wig 
lose one's temper blow a fuse