Abdul Ahad Momand
Abdul Ahad Momand (Pashto: عبدالاحد مومند; born 1959) is an Afghan-German and former Afghan Air Force aviator who became the first, and currently only, Afghan astronaut 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 Interkosmos research cosmonaut.
Abdul Ahad Momand | |
|---|---|
عبدالاحد مومند | |
| Born | Abdul Ahad Momand 1959 (age 64–65) |
| Nationality | Afghan (1959–2003) German (2003–present, naturalised) |
| Alma mater | Habibia High School Kabul Polytechnic University |
| Occupations | |
| Political party | PDPA |
| Spouse | Zulfara |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards |
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| Space career | |
| Intercosmos Research Cosmonaut | |
Time in space | 8d 20h 26min |
| Selection | 1988 |
| Missions | Mir EP-3 (Soyuz TM-6/Soyuz TM-5) |
Mission insignia | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Afghanistan |
| Service/ | Afghan Air Force |
| Years of service | 1978–1992 |
| Rank | Colonel |
Momand holds many records as an Afghan astronaut. He became the first person to take the Quran to space and recite it there. When he spoke to his mother on the phone from space, Pashto became the fourth language to be officially spoken in space. He became the first Afghan citizen and the fourth Muslim to visit outer space, after Sultan bin Salman Al Saud, Muhammed Faris, and Musa Manarov.
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