Abdul Ahad Mohmand
Encyclopedia
Abdul Ahad Momand is a former Afghan Air Force
aviator
who became the first Afghan
in space when he spent nine days aboard the Mir
space station
in 1988 as a Intercosmos
Research Cosmonaut. He was the fourth Muslim
to reach space, after Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Muhammed Faris
, and Musa Manarov (see List of Muslim astronauts).
, Afghanistan
. He belongs to the Mohmand
tribe of the Pashtun
ethnic group. Momand 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 and a professional astronaut.
Along with Commander Vladimir Lyakhov
and Flight Engineer Valery Polyakov, Momand was part of the Soyuz TM-6
three-man crew, which launched at 04:23 GMT August 29, 1988. Momand'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, Momand took photographs of his country, participated in astrophysical, medical and biological experiments. He also spoke to Afghanistan’s president, Mohammed Najibullah, and brewed Afghan tea for the crew.
Lyakhov and Momand 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 Momand were fine and in touch with Mission Control. A recording was played of them laughing. 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.
Momand was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union
on September 7, 1988.
During his flight to space, his mother was extremely distraught over the safety of her son. Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah
called Momand's mother into the President's office and arranged an audio/video conference between Momand and her. By this event, Pashto was considered the fourth spoken language in space.
Following the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, Momand fled to Germany
in 1992 and applied for asylum, becoming a German citizen in 2003. He works in printing services and lives in Ostfildern
near Stuttgart
.
Afghan Air Force
The Afghan Air Force , formerly the Afghan National Army Air Corps and Afghan National Army Air Force , is one of seven "corps" of the military of Afghanistan, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small...
aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
who became the first Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in space when he spent nine days aboard the Mir
Mir
Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
space station
Space station
A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
in 1988 as a Intercosmos
Intercosmos
Interkosmos was a space program of the Soviet Union designed to include members of military forces of allied Warsaw Pact countries in manned and unmanned missions...
Research Cosmonaut. He was the fourth Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to reach space, after Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Muhammed Faris
Muhammed Faris
Muhammed Ahmed Faris is a Syrian military aviator. He was the first Syrian and the second Arab in space.Born in Aleppo, Syria, he was a pilot in the Syrian Air Force with the rank of a colonel...
, and Musa Manarov (see List of Muslim astronauts).
Biography
Momand was born on January 1, 1959, in Sardah, GhazniGhazni
For the Province of Ghazni see Ghazni ProvinceGhazni is a city in central-east Afghanistan with a population of about 141,000 people...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. He belongs to the Mohmand
Mohmand
The Mohmand are a clan of Sarban Pashtuns, living primarily in the FATA & Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan & northeastern Afghanistan.- Demographics :...
tribe of the Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
ethnic group. Momand graduated from the Polytechnical University of Kabul
Polytechnical University of Kabul
Kabul Polytechnic is a university located in Kabul, Afghanistan and was established in 1963 in Karte Mamourin area beside the Intercontinental Hotel...
and then from the Air Force Academy. He served in the Afghan Air Force
Afghan Air Force
The Afghan Air Force , formerly the Afghan National Army Air Corps and Afghan National Army Air Force , is one of seven "corps" of the military of Afghanistan, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small...
and later trained in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a pilot and a professional astronaut.
Along with Commander Vladimir Lyakhov
Vladimir Lyakhov
Vladimir Afanasyevich Lyakhov , Ukrainian SSR), Soviet Union on July 20, 1941) is a former Soviet cosmonaut, twice named a Hero of the Soviet Union....
and Flight Engineer Valery Polyakov, Momand was part of the Soyuz TM-6
Soyuz TM-6
Dr. Valeri Polyakov remained behind on Mir with cosmonauts Musa Manarov and Vladimir Titov when Mohmand and Lyakhov returned to Earth in Soyuz TM-5....
three-man crew, which launched at 04:23 GMT August 29, 1988. Momand'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, Momand took photographs of his country, participated in astrophysical, medical and biological experiments. He also spoke to Afghanistan’s president, Mohammed Najibullah, and brewed Afghan tea for the crew.
Lyakhov and Momand returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-5
Soyuz TM-5
-Launch:Soyuz TM-5 launched on 1988 June 7 and arrived at Mir on June 9 carrying the second Bulgarian in space, Alexandrov . He became the first Bulgarian to reach a Soviet space station...
. The September 6 planned landing of Soyuz TM-5 was delayed because of mechanical complications on the Mir. Radio Moscow
Voice of Russia
Voice of Russia is the Russian government's international radio broadcasting service owned by the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company. Its predecessor Radio Moscow was the official international broadcasting station of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.-Early years:Radio Moscow...
reassured listeners that Lyakhov and Momand were fine and in touch with Mission Control. A recording was played of them laughing. A day later, the retro-fire was successful, and at 00:50 GMT Soyuz TM-5 landed near Dzhezkazgan
Dzhezkazgan
Jezkazgan or Zhezkazgan , formerly known as Dzhezkazgan , is a city in Karagandy Province, Kazakhstan, on a reservoir of the Kara-Kengir River. The city population is of 90,000...
. During touchdown there was no live radio coverage, only live television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
pictures of Mission Control.
Momand was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
on September 7, 1988.
During his flight to space, his mother was extremely distraught over the safety of her son. Afghan President Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai , originally merely Najibullah, was the fourth and last President of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is also considered the second President of the Republic of Afghanistan.-Early years:Najibullah was born in August 1947 to the Ahmadzai...
called Momand's mother into the President's office and arranged an audio/video conference between Momand and her. By this event, Pashto was considered the fourth spoken language in space.
Following the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, Momand fled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1992 and applied for asylum, becoming a German citizen in 2003. He works in printing services and lives in Ostfildern
Ostfildern
Ostfildern is a town in the district of Esslingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located approx. 8 km southeast of Stuttgart...
near Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
.
External links
- Article of Dr. Yasin Iqbal Yousafzai- Abdul Ahad Mohmand
- Biographies of International Astronauts - Abdul Ahad Mohmand
- First Afghan in Space - Abdul Ahad Momand
- Abdul Ahad Mohmand - The First Afghan in Space (August 29 to September 6, 1988)
- Abdul Ahad Mohmand The first and Only Afghan Who went to space