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Abdul Ahad Mohmand

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Abdul Ahad Mohmand (Pashto: عبدالاحد مومند) became the first cosmonaut from Afghanistan to visit space. He spent nine days aboard the Mir space station in 1988, along with Vladimir Lyakhov and Dr. Valery Polyakov.

Biography

Abdul Ahad Mohmand was born on January 1, 1959, in Sardah, Afghanistan. He belongs to the Mohmand tribe of the Pashtun ethnic group. Mohmand graduated from the Polytechnical University of Kabul and then from the Air Force Academy. He served in the Afghan Air Force and later trained in the Soviet Union as a pilot.

Along with Commander Vladimir Lyakhov and Dr. Valery Polyakov, Mohmand was part of the Soyuz TM-6 three-man crew, which launched at 04:23 GMT August 29, 1988. Mohmand's inclusion in the mission was a significant symbol during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

During his nine days stay on the Mir space station, Mohmand took photographs of his country, participated in astrophysical, medical and biological experiments. He also spoke to his Afghan president, Mohammed Najibullah, and brewed Afghan tea for the crew.

Lyakhov and Mohmand returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-5. The September 6 planned landing of Soyuz TM-5 was delayed because of mechanical complications on the Mir. Radio Moscow reassured listeners that Lyakhov and Mohmand were fine and in touch with Mission Control. A recording was played of them laughing. The British media jumped on the story and incorporated words like "marooned" and "lost in space" into their headlines. They even suggested (erroneously) that the crew had run out of food. With each passing orbit, the danger for the crew became more and more serious. A day later, the retro-fire was successful, and at 00:50 GMT Soyuz TM-5 landed near Dzhezkazgan. During touchdown there was no live radio coverage, only live television pictures of Mission Control.

Mohmand was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on September 7, 1988.

Mohmand is currently a citizen of Germany, where he works in printing services and resides in Stuttgart.

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Last updated on Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 19:05:57 PST (GMT -0800)
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