STUTTGART — Abdul Ahad Momand, Afghanistan's first citizen in space, died on June 21, 2026, at the age of 67. He died from cancer in a hospital in Stuttgart, Germany.

Mr. Momand was selected to join a Soviet space program in 1988 when he was 29 years old and an air force pilot. He trained in military academies in Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. He flew aboard Soyuz TM‑6 with cosmonauts Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Polyakov. During his nine days on the Mir space station, Mr. Momand conducted scientific research.

His return to Earth aboard Soyuz TM‑5 was delayed by one day due to technical problems. During this delay, Mr. Momand and Mr. Lyakhov were stranded in cramped conditions and faced a risk of being without food and oxygen. From orbit, Mr. Momand addressed his fellow citizens in a televised message, stating that violence could not be seen from outer space. He said, "I would like to believe that such will be the situation on the land inhabited by my brothers and sisters, on the land of our fathers and mothers who have suffered so much during the years of the war."

Mr. Momand spoke to Sovietskaya Rossiya, explaining that his space mission would aid in identifying Afghanistan's mineral resources, evaluating hydroelectric potential, and studying glaciers and earthquake risks. He also carried and read from the Quran during his mission. Former President Ashraf Ghani posted on X: "I am deeply saddened by the sudden death of Afghanistan's first and only astronaut, Abdul Ahad Momand." Ghani added, "I pray to God to grant Momand a high place in heaven, and I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, children, and other family members."

Mr. Momand lived in Germany starting in 1992 after leaving Afghanistan during the civil war. He was born in Ghazni province's Andar district in southeastern Afghanistan. Funeral and memorial arrangements were not announced. Mr. Momand is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.