Investments in Affiliates (Narrative) (Details)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Mar. 28, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Mar. 31, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Dec. 31, 2014 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2009 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2008 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due November 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	May 14, 2012 6% Senior Notes Due May 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 6% Senior Notes Due May 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] item	Oct. 29, 2012 6% Senior Notes Due May 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	May 14, 2012 11% Senior Note Due November 2015 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Credit Agreement Dated March 28, 2012 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Dec. 31, 2014 Transaction, Tax Indemnification [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan B [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan B - Canadian Facility [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Term Loan B - U.S. Facility [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member] USD ($)
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Profits recognized on affiliate sales eliminated in earlier periods			$ 4,600,000
Economic interest in affiliates									62.80%	62.80%
Voting interest in affiliate									32.70%	32.70%
Interest expense multiplier to determine EBITDA available for dividend distribution, maximum																		1.40
Transaction payments received during the period																						5,400,000
Prinicipal payment received	67,333,000
Equity method investment reduction carrying value																						5,000,000
Debt instrument amendment date																					Apr. 02, 2013
Debt amount converted into U.S. dollars																					34,000,000
Interest rate reduction after amendment																							0.50%
Interest rate floor after amendment																								1.00%	0.75%
Leverage ratio after amendment																					4.25
Leverage ratio before amendment																					4.00
Redemption date of debt instrument																May 01, 2013
Equity method investment senior subordinated notes interest rate stated percentage																12.50%
Indenture maturity date																Nov. 01, 2017
Redemption rate relative to principal amount																106.25%
Loss contingency cash payment																										3,700,000
Loss contingency accrual																										1,300,000	1,000,000
Equity method investment, impairment													18,700,000
Percentage of revenue declined in related party													17.00%
Maximum borrowing under credit agreement						2,550,000,000
Increase in indebtedness						490,000,000
Deferred financing cost written-off on debt refinancing						22,000,000
Distributions declared to shareholders, option holders and certain employees								656,500,000
Distribution declared to Loral								420,000,000
Distributions received from affiliate			420,199,000	44,000,000	45,000,000	376,000,000	375,000,000
Excess distribution over carrying value of investment in Telesat											7,400,000
Equity method losses previously suspended recovered										7,400,000	0
Cash payments authorized to executives and certain employees							48,600,000
Promissory note issued								146,000,000
Senior notes issued																	700,000,000		200,000,000
Interest on notes																	6.00%	6.00%	6.00%	11.00%
Debt instrument, maturity date																	May 15, 2017			Nov. 01, 2015
Capital expenditures									86,600,000	77,700,000	170,200,000
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													29,200,000
Proceeds from sale of investments, net		$ 1,150,000	$ 1,694,000