Happy birthday, Afghan astronaut Abdul Ahad Mohmand!

Abdul Ahad Mohmand, born January 1, 1959 in Afghanistan, is the first Afghan astronaut and the fourth Muslim in space.  It is believed he is the first Muslim to take the Qur'an to space.

He served in the Afghan Air Force and then trained in the Soviet Union as a pilot and astronaut.  He went to space aboard Soyuz TM-6, which was launched August 29, 1988 to Mir as part of expedition EP-3.  He remained on Mir for 9 days, during which he took pictures of Afghanistan, talked to Afghanistan's president and his mother, and brewed Afghan tea for the crew.

He returned to Earth on Soyuz TM-5 September 7.

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.