The ride today bears little resemblance to actual spaceflight. But in the 50 years Space Mountain has been running, there have been and still are several nods to NASA.

Space Mountain is one of the most recognizable theme park attractions around the world, but here’s what you may not know about the beloved ride.

A cultural touchstone, the dark ride opened to the public on Jan. 15, 1975, three years and three months after the Magic Kingdom’s debut.