Organization And Principal Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Organization And Principal Business [Abstract]
Organization And Principal Business	1. Organization and Principal Business Loral Space & Communications Inc., together with its subsidiaries (“Loral”, the “Company”, “we”, “our” and “us”) is a leading satellite communications company engaged, through our ownership interests in affiliates, in satellite-based communications services. Prior to completion of the sale of our wholly-owned subsidiary, Space Systems/Loral, LLC (formerly known as Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (“SS/L”)), we were also engaged in the satellite manufacturing business. Sale of SS/L On November 2, 2012, Loral completed the sale (the “Sale”) of its wholly-owned subsidiary, SS/L, to MDA Communications Holdings, Inc. (“MDA Holdings”), a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA”). Pursuant to the purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of June 26, 2012, as amended on October 30, 2012 and March 28, 2013, by and among Loral, SS/L, MDA and MDA Holdings, Loral received total cash payments of $967.9 million plus, for the sale of certain real estate used in connection with SS/L’s business, a three-year promissory note in the principal amount of $101 million (the “Land Note”). Transaction costs related to the Sale were $35.2 million. Subsequent to the closing of the Sale and pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Loral, in December 2012, paid MDA $6.5 million as a result of the resolution of a contingency (see Note 16). The transaction was taxable, and, for tax purposes, treated as a sale of assets. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, Loral is obligated to indemnify SS/L for certain litigation costs and litigation damages, subject to certain capped cost-sharing by SS/L, and has retained control of the defense of the lawsuit against SS/L and Loral by ViaSat, Inc. as well as SS/L’s counterclaims against ViaSat, Inc. in that lawsuit. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, following a change of control of Loral, the liability of Loral for certain litigation costs and litigation damages is subject to a dollar cap. In addition, Loral is obligated to indemnify SS/L from liabilities with respect to certain pre-closing taxes. The Land Note originally issued at closing provided for interest at the rate of 1% per annum with amortization in three equal annual installments on each March 31, commencing March 31, 2013. The Land Note was amended as described below and is backed by a letter of guarantee from Royal Bank of Canada. On November 7, 2012, in connection with the receipt of the proceeds from the Sale, our Board of Directors declared a special distribution of $29.00 per share for an aggregate distribution of $892.1 million. The special distribution was paid on December 4, 2012 to holders of record of Loral voting and non-voting common stock as of November 19, 2012. In accordance with Loral’s stock incentive plan, an equitable adjustment was made to outstanding stock-based awards to reflect the special distribution. On March 28, 2013, Loral and MDA amended the Purchase Agreement to modify SS/L’s capped cost sharing obligations related to Loral’s indemnification of certain litigation costs and litigation damages and also amended the Land Note to defer to March 31, 2014 the due date of the principal payment from MDA to Loral of $33.7 million due originally on March 31, 2013 with an increase in the interest rate applicable to this tranche of the Land Note from 1.0% to 1.5% effective as of April 1, 2013. Reclassification to Discontinued Operations For 2012, the operations of SS/L, previously reported as the satellite manufacturing operating segment, have been reclassified as discontinued operations in our statements of operations and cash flows. Description of Business Subsequent to the Sale, Loral has one operating segment consisting of satellite-based communications services. Loral participates in satellite services operations through its ownership interest in Telesat Holdings Inc. (“Telesat Holdco”) which owns Telesat Canada (“Telesat”), a global satellite services provider. Telesat owns and leases a satellite fleet that operates in geosynchronous earth orbit approximately 22,000 miles above the equator. In this orbit, satellites remain in a fixed position relative to points on the earth’s surface and provide reliable, high-bandwidth services anywhere in their coverage areas, serving as the backbone for many forms of telecommunications. Loral holds a 62.8% economic interest and a 33⅓% voting interest in Telesat Holdco (see Note 7). We use the equity method of accounting for our ownership interest in Telesat Holdco. Loral, a Delaware corporation, was formed on June 24, 2005, to succeed to the business conducted by its predecessor registrant, Loral Space & Communications Ltd. (“Old Loral”), which emerged from chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy laws on November 21, 2005 (the “Effective Date”) pursuant to the terms of the fourth amended joint plan of reorganization, as modified (the “Plan of Reorganization”).

1. Organization and Principal Business

Loral Space & Communications Inc., together with its subsidiaries (“Loral”, the “Company”, “we”, “our” and “us”) is a leading satellite communications company engaged, through our ownership interests in affiliates, in satellite-based communications services. Prior to completion of the sale of our wholly-owned subsidiary, Space Systems/Loral, LLC (formerly known as Space Systems/Loral, Inc. (“SS/L”)), we were also engaged in the satellite manufacturing business.

Sale of SS/L

On November 2, 2012, Loral completed the sale (the “Sale”) of its wholly-owned subsidiary, SS/L, to MDA Communications Holdings, Inc. (“MDA Holdings”), a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (“MDA”). Pursuant to the purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”), dated as of June 26, 2012, as amended on October 30, 2012 and March 28, 2013, by and among Loral, SS/L, MDA and MDA Holdings, Loral received total cash payments of $967.9 million plus, for the sale of certain real estate used in connection with SS/L’s business, a three-year promissory note in the principal amount of $101 million (the “Land Note”). Transaction costs related to the Sale were $35.2 million.

Subsequent to the closing of the Sale and pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Loral, in December 2012, paid MDA $6.5 million as a result of the resolution of a contingency (see Note 16).

The transaction was taxable, and, for tax purposes, treated as a sale of assets.

Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, Loral is obligated to indemnify SS/L for certain litigation costs and litigation damages, subject to certain capped cost-sharing by SS/L, and has retained control of the defense of the lawsuit against SS/L and Loral by ViaSat, Inc. as well as SS/L’s counterclaims against ViaSat, Inc. in that lawsuit. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, following a change of control of Loral, the liability of Loral for certain litigation costs and litigation damages is subject to a dollar cap. In addition, Loral is obligated to indemnify SS/L from liabilities with respect to certain pre-closing taxes.

The Land Note originally issued at closing provided for interest at the rate of 1% per annum with amortization in three equal annual installments on each March 31, commencing March 31, 2013. The Land Note was amended as described below and is backed by a letter of guarantee from Royal Bank of Canada.

On November 7, 2012, in connection with the receipt of the proceeds from the Sale, our Board of Directors declared a special distribution of $29.00 per share for an aggregate distribution of $892.1 million. The special distribution was paid on December 4, 2012 to holders of record of Loral voting and non-voting common stock as of November 19, 2012. In accordance with Loral’s stock incentive plan, an equitable adjustment was made to outstanding stock-based awards to reflect the special distribution.

On March 28, 2013, Loral and MDA amended the Purchase Agreement to modify SS/L’s capped cost sharing obligations related to Loral’s indemnification of certain litigation costs and litigation damages and also amended the Land Note to defer to March 31, 2014 the due date of the principal payment from MDA to Loral of $33.7 million due originally on March 31, 2013 with an increase in the interest rate applicable to this tranche of the Land Note from 1.0% to 1.5% effective as of April 1, 2013.

Reclassification to Discontinued Operations

For 2012, the operations of SS/L, previously reported as the satellite manufacturing operating segment, have been reclassified as discontinued operations in our statements of operations and cash flows.

Description of Business

Subsequent to the Sale, Loral has one operating segment consisting of satellite-based communications services. Loral participates in satellite services operations through its ownership interest in Telesat Holdings Inc. (“Telesat Holdco”) which owns Telesat Canada (“Telesat”), a global satellite services provider. Telesat owns and leases a satellite fleet that operates in geosynchronous earth orbit approximately 22,000 miles above the equator. In this orbit, satellites remain in a fixed position relative to points on the earth’s surface and provide reliable, high-bandwidth services anywhere in their coverage areas, serving as the backbone for many forms of telecommunications.

Loral holds a 62.8% economic interest and a 33⅓% voting interest in Telesat Holdco (see Note 7). We use the equity method of accounting for our ownership interest in Telesat Holdco.

Loral, a Delaware corporation, was formed on June 24, 2005, to succeed to the business conducted by its predecessor registrant, Loral Space & Communications Ltd. (“Old Loral”), which emerged from chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy laws on November 21, 2005 (the “Effective Date”) pursuant to the terms of the fourth amended joint plan of reorganization, as modified (the “Plan of Reorganization”).