In an attempt to answer the age-old question of how hackers manage to access the dome, a multi-part hack appeared on the morning of September 4, 2015 which suggested one method: a catapult, nicknamed the "hackapult", which was used to fling older hacks back on the Great Dome. The hack referenced numerous hacks which have appeared on the Great Dome in the past, including:

The hacks quickly gained the attention of the local Boston media, with three news copters flying overhead by 8:00am and two ground photographers shortly thereafter. The Boston Globe reported soon after with "In latest MIT hack, a tribute to pranks of years past".

Facilities ascended the dome and began dismantling the hack by 8:30am. By the time of the freshman photo at 11:00am, the fire truck and the cow had disappeared, leaving the ring, the car, the TARDIS, and the catapult.

The catapult itself, as well as an informational board which explained the history of the visible hacks and provided suggestions for unlikely ways to access the Great Dome:

The back end of a cow, with a drop banner exclaiming "MOO", stuck through the wall of Barker Library:

The cow's head broke through the wall and poked through into Barker Library's main reading room:

A fire truck made it up atop the dome, but split in half:

The front of the fire truck cab, along with a lone dalmatian and a large "SPLAT!" banner:

The One Ring fell short of the top of the Dome, and instead burned its way partly through Building 10:

A Campus Police car landed in Killian Court:

A TARDIS landed at a slant angle near the Lobby 10 steps in Killian Court:

A Campus Police officer and several members of the MIT Administration admire the hacks: