Advancing through the Ashes of the Damned main Easter egg in Call of Duty:Black Ops 7 Zombies pushes players through a series of increasingly complex challenges. One of the most notorious roadblocks is the rocket launch puzzle located at the Zarya Cosmodrome. This step introduces rotating symbols, hidden translations, and strict timing—all while waves of zombies apply constant pressure.

At first glance, the puzzle appears random and unforgiving. However, beneath the chaos lies a consistent system. Once you understand how the symbols translate and how the number sequence works, the rocket launch becomes a fast and repeatable task. This guide walks through every step needed to prepare the launch and solve the puzzle efficiently.

Before the rocket puzzle even becomes accessible, several Easter egg objectives must be completed. You'll need to acquire the Necrofluid Gauntlet, collect all Serum components, and successfully finish the Serum puzzle. In addition, all three roadway keys found along the exits from Ashwood must be delivered.

With those requirements complete, unlock the DG-2 Turret Barrel upgrade for Ol' Tessie. Once installed, use the upgrade to shoot the floating clock tower in Ashwood. When the tower lights up, immediately fire the Necrofluid Gauntlet at it and reload. If done correctly, the gauntlet will take on a purple, spectral glow—confirming it has been charged.

Next, travel to the Zarya Cosmodrome. You can either drive Ol' Tessie southeast from Ashwood or take the Jump Pad near Double Tap Root Beer for quicker access. Once there, locate the two fast-spinning array towers, positioned to the northwest and northeast of the area.

Fire the charged Necrofluid Gauntlet at one array to slow it down. Then return to Ashwood, recharge the gauntlet at the clock tower, and repeat the process on the second array. Only after both arrays are slowed will the rocket launch puzzle become available.

How the Rocket Launch Puzzle Works

After disabling both arrays, enter the Control Room at Zarya Cosmodrome, near the Wisp Tea machine. On the north wall, you'll see two display screens rapidly cycling through six unfamiliar symbols.

Although the symbols appear random, they always spell one of four predetermined words. The visual icons change every match, but the underlying logic does not. Each symbol corresponds to a letter using a Pigpen cipher, and each letter is then converted into a number based on its position in the alphabet.

The numbering system starts at A = 00 and ends at Z = 25. Once you translate the symbols into letters and then into numbers, you'll have the correct launch code.

Entering the Launch Code Correctly

Turn around in the Control Room and locate the six computer terminals along the northwest wall. Each terminal cycles through numbers at high speed. Your objective is to shoot the red button on each terminal to lock in the correct number.

The sequence must be entered from left to right, matching the order of the translated symbols. For example, if the symbols decode into a word like ROCKET, each letter is converted into its corresponding number value, and those values are entered one terminal at a time.

Accuracy is critical. If even one number is incorrect, the launch attempt will fail. When this happens, you'll be forced to wait until the next round to retry—and worse, you'll need to recharge the arrays again, all while fighting nonstop zombies.

Because of this, memorizing the possible word solutions and their number equivalents saves an enormous amount of time and risk.

Many players practice this step in CoD Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies to reduce pressure while learning the translations and terminal timing. This allows you to rehearse the entire process—array charging, symbol reading, and terminal locking—without the threat of a failed public match. Some players even choose to cheap Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies specifically to master complex Easter egg steps like this one.

Once the correct sequence is entered, the result is immediate. Zombie spawns stop, alarms shut off, and the rocket launches into the sky, confirming successful completion of the puzzle. From here, you're free to continue the Ashes of the Damned main quest without further interruptions from this mechanic.

The rocket launch puzzle may feel chaotic at first, but it's entirely deterministic once you understand the symbol translation system and number conversion rules. With preparation, quick execution, and familiarity with the four possible solutions, this step becomes one of the smoothest sections of the Easter egg.

Learn the logic, stay calm under pressure, and you'll have the rocket airborne every run—bringing you one step closer to fully conquering Black Ops 7 Zombies.