Investments in Affiliates (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Mar. 31, 2009 XTAR, LLC [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 XTAR, LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 XTAR, LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 XTAR, LLC [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due November 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 6% Senior Notes Due May 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] item	Sep. 30, 2014 Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Transaction, Tax Indemnification [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Investment Income [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Investment Income [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Economic interest in affiliates		62.80%		62.80%
Voting interest in affiliate		32.70%		32.70%
Error corrections and prior period adjustments																				$ 1,500,000	$ 400,000	$ (1,500,000)	$ 300,000
Interest on notes										6.00%
Interest expense multiplier to determine EBITDA available for dividend distribution										1.40
Transaction income during the period											1,250,000	1,250,000	3,800,000	3,800,000
Transaction payments received during the period													3,600,000	5,000,000	5,400,000
Redemption of notes receivable - related party														1,300,000
Equity method investment senior subordinated notes interest rate stated percentage									12.50%
Indenture maturity date									Nov. 01, 2017
Redemption date of debt instrument									2013-05
Equity method investment reduction carrying value															5,000,000
Capital expenditures		59,800,000	48,300,000
Percentage of ownership interest						56.00%
Lease obligation						25,000,000
Maximum annual lease obligation						28,000,000
Lease agreement, past due								32,300,000
Lease agreement, deferred amount							6,700,000
Repayment term past due and deferred lease obligation, years					12 years
Deferred lease obligation, annual payment					5,000,000
Discount rate for prepayment of restructured past due and deferred lease obligation					9.00%
Cumulative payments of restructured past due and deferred lease obligation						27,900,000
Indemnification liabilities																			4,800,000
Loss contingency cash payment																3,700,000
Loss contingency accrual																3,700,000	1,200,000	1,300,000
Proceeds from sale of investments, net	$ 1,150,000