The invention discloses a
carbon nanotube array thruster, and belongs to the technical field of space propulsion. The
carbon nanotube array thruster comprises a
carbon nanotube unit array, a
metal grid
electrode, a power supply, a working medium storage box, a protective layer, a fixing plate and a micro-treatment element, wherein the protective layer comprises a front portion and a rear portion,the middle of the front portion and the middle of the rear portion are connected in a communicating mode, the fixing plate is arranged at the front end of the front half portion, the carbon
nanotube unit array is distributed on one side of the fixing plate in an array mode, the working medium storage box is arranged on the other side of the fixing plate, the micro-treatment element and the power supply are arranged above the outer surface of the rear half portion, the
metal grid
electrode is round and is fixed in the rear half portion of the protective layer, when the thruster works, the carbon
nanotube unit array is electrified, an
argon working medium enters the carbon
nanotube unit array from the working medium storage box through the fixing plate, the micro-treatment element controls the working mode of the carbon nanotube unit array, and controls the potential of the
metal grid
electrode to correspond to the working mode of the carbon nanotube unit array, so that the two working states are achieved. According to the carbon
nanotube array thruster, the performance parameters of the thruster can be precisely adjusted, and the size and the
mass of the thruster can be effectivelyreduced.