Muhammed Faris Status: Retired 5/26/1951 – Nationality: Syrian Type: Government First Flight: 7/22/1987 Last Flight: 7/22/1987 Muhammed Ahmed Faris (Arabic: محمد أحمد فارس Muḥammad ʾAḥmad Fāris; born 26 May 1951) is a Syrian military aviator. He was the first Syrian and the second Arab in space. Launches Soyuz-U2 | Soyuz TM-3 Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Type: Government Abbreviation: RFSA Administration: Administrator: Dmitry Rogozin Founded: 1992 Launchers: Soyuz Spacecraft: Soyuz Country: RUS The Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.