From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlife support systemˈlife support ˌsystem noun [countable] 1 (also life support machine)MH a piece of equipment that keeps someone alive when they are extremely ill2 TTSa piece of equipment that keeps people alive in conditions where they would not normally be able to live, such as in space
Examples from the Corpus
life support system• He's on a life support system.• It is our life support system and the life support system of the whole globe.• For centuries it was part of the richest life support system in the world. 