Abdul Ahad Momand, Afghanistan’s first and only cosmonaut, passed away on June 21 in Germany, where he had lived since 1992. He was believed to have been born in 1959, although the exact date remains uncertain. His family announced on social media that he died of cancer but provided no further details.

Momand earned international recognition for his historic spaceflight aboard the Soviet Soyuz TM-6 spacecraft, which launched on August 29, 1988. As part of the Soviet Intercosmos program, which aimed to include astronauts from allied nations and friendly states, Momand joined commander Colonel Vladimir Lyakhov and physician Valeri Polyakov on a mission to the Mir space station. The program involved countries such as Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Cuba, Vietnam, as well as participants from Britain, France, and Japan.

During his time on Mir, Momand conducted scientific experiments and used advanced cameras to photograph Afghanistan from orbit, assessing the land’s agricultural potential and mineral wealth. According to historian Asif Siddiqi, this work also contributed toward more accurate mapping of Afghanistan, an endeavor of particular significance given the limited cartographic information available in Momand’s home country.

Momand, a pilot in the Afghan Air Force and chief navigator at Bagram Air Base prior to the mission, had been drafted into Intercosmos after a colleague was sidelined due to appendicitis. His flight occurred amid the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, as the 1989 pullout was already underway. The mission’s timing was reportedly accelerated by Soviet authorities wishing to ensure Momand’s flight before their complete military exit.

The journey to Mir went smoothly, but re-entry posed serious challenges. Initial attempts to return to Earth had to be aborted due to a sensor malfunction caused by solar interference and a subsequent engine firing error. These malfunctions forced Momand and Lyakhov to remain in orbit for an additional 25 hours with limited supplies before they safely landed on September 7. Reflecting on the incident, Momand stated in 2021 that they were mere seconds from a fatal outcome had they not manually overridden the autopilot.

While in space, Momand made a televised plea for peace during a phone call with Afghan President Mohammed Najibullah, urging dialogue between warring factions. He also read a prayer from the Quran on Soviet television, symbolically bridging his cultural identity with his role as a spacefarer. Despite the ongoing conflict visible only on Earth, he expressed hope that peace would one day prevail in a country devastated by war.

Following his return to Afghanistan, Momand received an official ceremony amid warfare continuing just beyond the event. He briefly served as deputy minister of civil aviation before fleeing the country in 1992 amid the collapse of the Soviet-backed government and ensuing civil war. He sought asylum in Germany, where he built a career outside of aviation and space exploration.

In 2013, Momand revisited Afghanistan for the 25th anniversary of his spaceflight, meeting then-President Hamid Karzai and inspiring a new generation of astronomers amid hopes for the country’s future stability.

He is survived by his wife, Zulfara, two daughters, and a son.