Aerosol-generating system having a fluid-permeable heater assembly

An aerosol-generating system comprising a main unit and a cartridge that is removably coupled to the main unit, wherein the cartridge comprises a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a fluid-permeable electric heater assembly, and the main unit comprises a power supply, the heater assembly comprising:

• an electrically insulating substrate,
• an aperture being formed in the electrically insulating substrate, and
• a heater element fixed to the electrically insulating substrate, the heater element spanning the aperture and comprising a plurality of electrically conductive filaments connected to first and second electrically conductive contact portions, the first and the second electrically conductive contact portions being disposed on opposite sides of the aperture to one another,
• wherein the first and the second electrically conductive contact portions are configured to allow contact with the power supply, and
• wherein the heater assembly is provided at an end of the cartridge that is opposite to a mouthpiece portion of the aerosol-generating system.