diff --git a/pyatsoleiloutils/readhdf5file.py b/pyatsoleiloutils/readhdf5file.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..8f3ab7df9f935ec5896583081c5e0da1cf925162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyatsoleiloutils/readhdf5file.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+"""
+This file contains functions to read preformated data from
+hdf5 files
+"""
+
+import h5py
+import numpy
+
+__all__ = ['readmomaphdf5']
+
+def readmomaphdf5(
+        fname
+        ):
+    """
+    This functions reads a given hdf5 with momentum aperture data
+    saved with the function savemomaphdf5.
+
+    Args:
+      fname: name of the input hdf5 file
+    Returns:
+
+    """
+    f = h5py.File('momap_'+listofringnames[i]+'.hdf5', 'r')
+
+    # set momap input format for get_lifetime
+    momap_pn = numpy.array((f['momap']['dppP'][:],
+         f['momap']['dppN'][:]))
+    momap_pn = numpy.copy(momap_pn.T)
+    s_indexes=f['momap']['s_indexes'][:]
+    s_array=f['momap']['s_array'][:]
+    f.close()
+
+    return momap_pn, s_indexes, s_array
+