Abdul Ahad Momand, first Afghan in space, dies at 67

Abdul Ahad Momand, Afghanistan's first and only astronaut, has died at the age of 67 after battling cancer. He passed away on June 21 at a hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, where he had been living since leaving Afghanistan during the country's civil war in 1992.

Momand is remembered as a national hero for becoming the first Afghan to travel to space. In 1988, at the age of 29, the former Afghan Air Force pilot was selected to participate in the Soviet Union's Intercosmos programme, which enabled astronauts from allied nations to undertake space missions.

After months of training, Momand launched aboard Soyuz TM-6 alongside Soviet cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Polyakov. During the mission, he spent nine days aboard the Mir space station, carrying out scientific experiments and research. His return to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-5 was delayed by a day due to technical issues, briefly stranding the crew in orbit.

Before the mission, Momand had said the spaceflight would help study Afghanistan's mineral resources, hydroelectric potential, glaciers and earthquake risks. While in orbit, he also delivered a televised message expressing hope for peace in his war-torn homeland, saying that violence could not be seen from space.

Momand also carried a copy of the Quran during his historic mission, a gesture that was widely remembered in Afghanistan.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani paid tribute to Momand on social media, describing him as Afghanistan's first and only astronaut and extending condolences to his family. Ghani said Momand's achievement introduced Afghanistan to the world and gave the country a rare moment of pride during a turbulent period in its history.

Born in Andar district of Ghazni province, Momand received military training in Afghanistan and the former Soviet Union before joining the Afghan Air Force.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Funeral and memorial arrangements have not yet been announced.