<div class="htmlview paragraph">In 1989 NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) began development of the life Support Database system. This work has progressed through initial requirements analysis, data relationships modeling, and documentation of a detailed conceptual design during the first nine months of the project, followed by a year of database development activity. A Beta-Test version of the system has just completed testing by a number of users at NASA ARC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Johnson Space Center, and Marshall Space Flight Center. Formal release of the operational system is planned for May 1991.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper describes the design and implementation of the database system, provides an overview of it's operation from a typical user's perspective, and cites examples of data currently accessible in the Build 1 version. Plans for future enhancement of the database architecture, operation, and content to increase it's utility to the life support community are summarized.</div>