Abdul Ahad Mohmand
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Abdul Ahad Mohmand (b. January 1, 1959) was the first Afghan cosmonaut and spent nine days in space aboard the Mir space station in 1988. He currently lives in Stuttgart, Germany.
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 brief time on the Mir, Mohmand took photographs of Afghanistan, participated in astrophysical, medical and biological experiments, spoke to Afghan president Najibullah and brewed Afghan tea for the crew.
The September 6 landing of Soyuz TM-6 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 cosmonauts had run out of food. With each passing orbit, the danger for the crew became more and more serious. Fortunately, 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.
Born in Sardah, Afghanistan, Mohmand graduated from the Polytechnical High School in Kabul and then the Air Force Academy. He served in the Afghan Air Force and later trained in the USSR as a pilot.