First Afghan Cosmonaut in space aboard Soyuz TM-6 1988

Soyuz TM-6 crew (L-R): Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Vladimir Lyakhov, Valeri Polyakov

Mission patch

Soyuz TM-6, the sixth manned mission to the Space Station Mir, launched August 29, 1988 with two Russian cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valeri Polyakov, and the first Afghan cosmonaut Abdul Ahad Mohmand.  It is rumored he is the first Muslim to take the Qu'ran into space.  He spent 9 days in before returning to the former Soviet Union and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on September 7, 1988.