Abdul Ahad Mohmand
Afghan - (RFSA)
Deceased
Date of Birth: Jan. 1, 1959
Date of Death: June 21, 2026
Abdul Ahad Mohmand (Pashto: عبدالاحد مومند; born January 1, 1959) is a former Afghan Air Force aviator who became the first Afghan citizen and fourth Muslim to journey to outer space. He became one of Soyuz TM-6 crew members and spent nine days aboard the Mir space station in 1988 as an Intercosmos Research Cosmonaut. Momand died of cancer in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, on 21 June 2026.
Soyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-5
Soviet Space Program | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Status: Success
Mission:
Soyuz TM-5 was the fifth mission to Mir space station. The mission began on June 7, 1988, 14:03:13 UTC, launching Commander Anatoly Solovyev, Flight Engineer Viktor Savinykh and Research Cosmonaut Aleksandr Aleksandrov into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later, meeting with the long-duration resident crew. During their 7-day stay there, cosmonauts carried out scientific experiments. They returned on a Soyuz TM-4 spacecraft, landing safely back on Earth on June 17, 1988, 10:12:32 UTC.
Low Earth OrbitSoyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-6
Soviet Space Program | RussiaBaikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Status: Success
Mission:
Soyuz TM-6 was the sixth mission to Mir space station. The mission began on June 7, 1988, 14:03:13 UTC, launching Commander Vladimir Lyakhov, Flight Engineer/Research Doctor Valeri Polyakov and Research Cosmonaut Abdul Mohmand, the first Afghan cosmonaut, into orbit. They docked with Mir two days later, meeting with the long-duration resident crew. During their 7-day stay there, cosmonauts performed Earth observation and other tasks. They returned on a Soyuz TM-5 spacecraft, landing safely back on Earth on September 7, 1988, 00:49:38 UTC.
Low Earth OrbitThe Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.
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SpaceSail Polar Group #17
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Starlink Group 15-18
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAA batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
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IRNSS-1L (NVS-03)
Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad - Satish Dhawan Space Centre, IndiaThis is a replacement satellite for the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. The constellation will provide India with an alternative to GPS …
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Starlink Group 15-16
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAA batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
