Needham native Suni Williams is stepping out of the International Space Station Thursday and stepping into space, embarking on her first spacewalk in 12 years.

Officials said she is replacing hardware and fixing the ISS’ x-ray telescope.

The walk is expected to last for around six and a half hours.

Williams has been stuck on the ISS for more than half a year and is scheduled to return in March.

NASA announced the latest delay in Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ homecoming on Tuesday.

Williams and fellow test pilot Butch Wilmore planned on being away just a week or so when they blasted off June 5 on Boeing’s first astronaut flight to the International Space Station.

Their mission grew from eight days to eight months after NASA decided to send the company’s problem-plagued Starliner capsule back empty in September.

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