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
June 7, 1988, 2:03 p.m.
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
Aug. 29, 1988, 4:23 a.m.
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.
Long March 10B
Demo Flight
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of ChinaFirst launch of the Long March 10B rocket and first ever successful rocket booster recovery of a Chinese launch vehicle. Payloads on board is TBD.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 10-42
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
Transporter 17 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USADedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
Long March 8A
SpaceSail Polar Group #14
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China20 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 10-50
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system. The Falcon 9 1st st…
