Giant Space Balloon Launch Goes Terribly Wrong (VIDEO)

Consider it a space balloon launch fail.

In the Australian outback Thursday, the launch of a giant space balloon went horribly wrong when a heavy payload of scientific equipment broke off, causing it to be dragged across the ground, and ultimately slamming into a vehicle. Bystanders narrowly escaped being hit.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the balloon was part of research project by student from UC Berkeley.

WATCH: Footage from ABC