Cosmonaut Abdul Ahad Momand, Afghanistan’s first citizen in space, has died at age 67. His family and friends say he died from cancer on June 21 in Germany, where he had lived since leaving Afghanistan in 1992. In 1988, Momand, a 29-year-old air force pilot, was selected for a Soviet space program. He spent nine days in space aboard the Mir space station, conducting scientific research. His mission aimed to identify Afghanistan’s mineral resources and study natural phenomena. His death was met with sorrow in Afghanistan, where he is remembered as a hero.