When the ride opened on Jan. 15, 1975, an Apollo moonwalker was its first passenger, NASA's insignia was on display and Space Mountain was dedicated to opening the new frontier.

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.

• Jan. 15, 1975: Space Mountain opened at a cost of $15 million, the Sentinel reported, “an amount more than the whole cost of Disneyland, built in 1955.” Astronauts Scott Carpenter, James Irwin and Gordon Cooper posed with Mickey Mouse, who is decked out in a spacesuit.