Abdul Ahad Momand, Only Afghan to Fly in Space, Dies
Abdul Ahad Momand, the only Afghan citizen to have traveled to space in 1988 as a Soviet cosmonaut, has died.
Abdul Ahad Momand, the only Afghan ever to fly in space, has died.
Momand, a former pilot in the Afghan Air Force, was recruited for the Soviet space program. His spaceflight took place in 1988, while the Soviet Union was fighting a war in his home country.
He served as a backup cosmonaut for the Soyuz TM-6 mission and later flew on Soyuz TM-5. He spent about nine days in space, including a visit to the Mir space station.
His flight was a symbolic achievement but occurred during a complex historical period – the Soviet–Afghan War. After returning to Earth, Momand became a national hero, but later went into exile due to political changes.
