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This thesis describes an experiment in which a neutral atom laser trap loaded with radioactive {sup 21}Na was improved and then used for measurements. The sodium isotope (half-life=22 sec) is produced on line at the 88in cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The author developed an effective magnesium oxide target system which is crucial to deliver a substantive beam of {sup 21}Na to the experiment. Efficient manipulation of the {sup 21}Na beam with lasers allowed 30,000 atoms to be contained in a magneto-optical trap. Using the cold trapped atoms, the author measured to high precision the hyperfine splitting of the atomic ground state of {sup 21}Na. She measured the 3S{sub 1/2}(F=1,m=0)-3S{sub 1/2}(F=2,m=0) atomic level splitting of {sup 21}Na to be 1,906,471,870{+-}200 Hz. Additionally, she achieved initial detection of beta decay from the trap and evaluated the prospects of precision beta decay correlation studies with trapped atoms.