I remember coloured spot lights in the ceiling with a space centre tone of voice over sound track which made you feel that you are about to be launched into space, I can't remember the exact words, but if my memory served me correctly, it was something along the lines of "T minus X seconds to launch"
Again in my memory serve me correctly, there were no steps inside, it was all slope. I personally preferred the original set up as oppose to the Jules Vern revamp.
The ride itself was better. You started off going up the inside spiral lift with a couple of space men hanging in the middle with the music from Holst The Planet Mars playing. For first time riders, you never really knew that you were going on a rollercoaster, you just think that it was going to be a tame dark ride.
The cars had no restraints. I believe that the original cars only held 6 people 2 pairs sitting in line. Later years they joined two cars together to hold double the amount of people. Don't hold me to this, my memory is very vague on the cars.
The ride inside was in totally dark. The darkness meant that you lost all sense on where you were, which way up you were (even thought it never went upside down), gave the illusion that the first drop was steeper, deeper and faster than it really was.
For me the ride got ruined when they started to light up the inside of the ride.