Paul J . Weitz Paul Joseph Weitz ( born July 25 , 1932 ) is a retired United States Navy pilot and former NASA astronaut , who flew into space twice . He was a member of the three - man crew who flew on Skylab 2 , the first manned Skylab mission . He was also commander of the STS - 6 mission , the first of the Space Shuttle " Challenger " flights . Biography . Early years . Weitz was born in Erie , Pennsylvania , on July 25 , 1932 . He graduated from Harbor Creek High School in Harborcreek , Pennsylvania . The high school stadium was later named after him . He received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1954 . While attending Penn State , he was a member of the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi . Ten years later he received a master ' s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey , California . Military career . Weitz received his commission as an Ensign through the Naval ROTC program at $ 3 . He served for one year at sea aboard a destroyer before going to flight training and was awarded his aviator wings in September 1956 . He served in various naval aircraft squadrons until he was selected as an astronaut in 1966 . He has logged more than 7 , 700 hours flying time — 6 , 400 hours in jet aircraft . NASA career . In April 1966 , Weitz was one of 19 men selected by NASA for Astronaut Group 5 . He served as pilot on the crew of Skylab 2 ( SL - 2 ) , which launched on May 25 and splashed down on June 22 , 1973 . SL - 2 was the first manned Skylab mission , and achieved a 28 - day durationt . Weitz and his two crewmates performed extensive and unprecedented repairs to serious damage the unmanned Skylab sustained during its launch , salvaging the entire Skylab mission . In logging 672 hours and 49 minutes aboard the orbital workshop , the crew established what was then a new world record for a single mission . Weitz also logged two hours and 11 minutes in extravehicular activities . He may have also been assigned as the command module pilot for the canceled Apollo 20 . Weitz was spacecraft commander on the crew of STS - 6 , which launched from Kennedy Space Center , Florida , on April 4 , 1983 . This was the maiden voyage of the orbiter " Challenger " . During the mission , the crew conducted numerous experiments in materials processing , recorded lightning activities , deployed IUS / TDRS - A , conducted extravehicular activity while testing a variety of support systems and equipment in preparation for future space walks , and also carried three Getaway Special s . Mission duration was 120 hours before " Challenger " landed on a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base , California , on April 9 , 1983 . With the completion of this flight , Weitz logged a total of 793 hours in space . Weitz was Deputy Director of the Johnson Space Center when he retired from NASA in May 1994 . Hunting and fishing are among his hobbies . Family . Weitz married the former Suzanne M . Berry of Harborcreek , Pennsylvania . They had two children , Matthew and Cynthia . His mother , Mrs . Violet Futrell of Norfolk , Virginia , died in 2001 . Special honors . Awarded the :