Life support systems, also known as life support, was technology which assisted lifeforms in surviving.
Spacecraft had life support systems which allowed its occupants to survive in space. (TV: The Ambassadors of Death [+]David Whitaker, Doctor Who season 7 (BBC1, 1970)., Colony in Space [+]Malcolm Hulke, Doctor Who season 8 (BBC1|BBC1]], 1971)., Four to Doomsday [+]Terence Dudley, Doctor Who season 19 (BBC1, 1982)., Terror of the Vervoids [+]Pip & Jane Baker, Doctor Who season 23 (BBC1, 1986)., The Tsuranga Conundrum [+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 11 (BBC One, 2018).) Miniscopes had life support systems, (TV: Carnival of Monsters [+]Robert Holmes, Doctor Who season 10 (BBC1, 1973).) as did TARDISes. (PROSE: The Edge of Destruction [+]Nigel Robinson, adapted from The Edge of Destruction (David Whitaker), Target novelisations (Target Books, 1988)., Timewyrm: Genesys [+]John Peel, Virgin New Adventures (Virgin Books, 1991)., TV: Flatline [+]Jamie Mathieson, Doctor Who series 8 (BBC One, 2014).) The life support system was not, however, counted as a system that was essential to the ship's operation. (COMIC: The Doctor and the Nurse [+]Brandon Seifert, Doctor Who (2012) (IDW Publishing, 2012-2013).) When the Boneless drained dimensional energy from the Doctor's TARDIS, the life support began to fail. (TV: Flatline [+]Jamie Mathieson, Doctor Who series 8 (BBC One, 2014).)
Some individuals had life support systems to compensate for what would otherwise be fatal injuries. On Skaro, Davros was given a life support system after being crippled. Later, the Kaleds built a combination life support system and travel machine for the creatures they knew that they would evolve into. (TV: Genesis of the Daleks [+]Terry Nation, Doctor Who season 12 (BBC1, 1975).) On Karfel, Renis' wife was on a life support system in a hospital. (TV: Timelash [+]Glen McCoy, Doctor Who season 22 (BBC1, 1985).) On Sto, Max Capricorn's cybernetic body functioned as a life support system. (TV: Voyage of the Damned [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2007 (BBC One, 2007).) Hydroflax's robot body was a life support system. (TV: The Husbands of River Song [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2015 (BBC One, 2015).) Ianto Jones took parts from a cyber-conversion unit and modified them into a life support for Lisa Hallett. (TV: Cyberwoman [+]Chris Chibnall, Torchwood series 1 (BBC Three, 2006).)
Martian cruisers such as the Saavid were equipped with a life-support system. (PROSE: The Jeopardy of Solar Proximity [+]Richard Dinnick, Myths & Legends (BBC Books, 2017).)
According to information relayed from a data-scan by a computer, Australia's life-support systems were in danger of imminent collapse due to pollution, sometime around the late 1970s. (TV: Dr. Who For Keep Australia Beautiful [+]1979.)