Study on the control of propellant flow by electric field in ionic liquid electrospray thruster

•Electrocapillary is applied to the control of liquid propellant in ionic liquid electrospray thruster for the first time.•This electric valve can fast and reversibly control the “on-off” state of propellant.•The flow rate of ionic liquid is unstable and there is an upper limit under gravity condition.•The flow rate of ionic liquid can reach 0.229 nL/s stably under non-gravity condition.