Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, and Other Investment Securities (Details 2) - Satellite and Tracking Stock Transaction $ in Thousands				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Feb. 27, 2014	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($) item shares	Feb. 20, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)
DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Percentage of economic interest in the Hughes Retail Group	80.00%			80.00%
EchoStar and HSSC
Other investment securities:
Number of owned satellites transferred and leased back | item		5
Transfer of liabilities and other		$ 59,000	$ 59,000
Capital transaction			356,000
Cash in exchange for shares of series of preferred tracking stock issued		$ 11,000	11,000
Capital transaction recorded in additional paid-in capital			51,000
EchoStar and HSSC | DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Tracking stock prohibited transfer period		1 year
EchoStar
Other investment securities:
Transfer of liabilities and other					$ 44,540
Historical cost of tracking stock					316,204
Capital transaction recorded in additional paid-in capital					$ 51,466
EchoStar | DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party | shares		6,290,499
Historical cost of tracking stock			229,000
HSSC | DISH Investors
Other investment securities:
Preferred tracking stock issued by related party | shares		81.128
Historical cost of tracking stock			$ 87,000