Story highlights Weitz commanded the first flight of the space shuttle Challenger

He was pilot of a Skylab crew that set a world record for space flight

(CNN) Former astronaut Paul Weitz, who commanded the maiden voyage of the space shuttle Challenger, has died, according to NASA. He was 85.

Weitz, who was an astronaut for 28 years and logged more than 790 hours in space, had battled cancer, a NASA spokesperson said. The cause of his death Monday has not been disclosed.

"We're saddened by the loss of retired astronaut Paul Weitz," NASA said in a statement Tuesday.

Pete Conrad gives Paul Weitz a haircut during a Skylab mission.

The Pennsylvania native was one of 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He served as the pilot on the Skylab 2 mission that launched in May 1973. The 28-day flight established what was then a world record for a single mission, according to NASA.

After working with NASA for 22 years, Weitz retired in July 1976 and returned to the Navy. He would later rejoin NASA.

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