Abdul Ahad Momand: key obituary facts
Is Abdul Ahad Momand dead? Yes. Abdul Ahad Momand died on June 21, 2026, at age 66.
Cause of death: Abdul Ahad Momand's cause of death was reported as Cancer.
What was Abdul Ahad Momand known for?
He was known as Afghan astronaut.
More about Abdul Ahad Momand
Born: 1959.
Place of birth: Ghazni Province.
Gender: male.
Occupation: astronaut, aircraft pilot, accountant.
Nationality: Germany, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
Education: Gagarin Air Force Academy, Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots named after Hero of the Soviet Union A.K. Serov.
Awards: Order of Lenin, Hero of the Soviet Union, Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration", Order of the Sun of Liberty, Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
Also known as: Abdul Ahad Momand, Abdul-Ahad Mohmand.
Occupations: Fighter Pilot, Cosmonaut, Accountant.
Abdul Ahad Momand, the Afghan astronaut who became the first person from his country to travel into space, died on June 21, 2026.
He was 66. Born in 1959 in Ghazni Province, then part of the Kingdom of Afghanistan, Momand served as an Afghan Air Force aviator before training as a cosmonaut.
In 1988, he flew aboard Soyuz TM-6 to the Mir space station as part of an Interkosmos mission, spending nine days in orbit. He was also known for taking a copy of the Quran into space and reciting from it during the flight, and for helping make Pashto the fourth language officially spoken in space. His career later included work as an accountant, and he was recognized with honors including the Order of Lenin and the Hero of the Soviet Union.