Related Party Transactions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 05, 2012	Mar. 28, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Apr. 11, 2011	Jan. 01, 2015	Dec. 31, 2007
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Distributions received from affiliate	$ 420,199,000
Revenue from related parties	57,571,000
Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Economic interest in affiliates				62.80%
Common stock, percentage acquired by an unaffiliated third party				90.00%
Duration for shares to be paid, days				10 days
Distributions received from affiliate		44,000,000	376,000,000
Revenue from related parties	57,745,000
Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] | Discontinued Operations [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Expenses on transactions with related party	30,700,000
Interest expense on ChinaSat liability	200,000
Payments to related party pursuant to the ChinaSat agreement	2,200,000
Xtar [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership interest				56.00%
MHR Funds [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding voting common stock				38.00%	38.00%
Percentage of combined ownership of voting and non-voting common stock				57.10%	57.10%
Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party transaction, date				Oct. 31, 2007
Related party annual transaction rate				7.00%
Transaction income during the period	5,000,000			5,000,000	5,000,000
Transaction payments received during the period	1,600,000			4,800,000	3,500,000
Transaction payment in promissory notes	4,500,000			0	1,300,000
Redemption of notes receivable - related party	24,100,000				2,600,000
Transaction, notes receivable				0	0
Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Director [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party transaction, date				Dec. 14, 2012
Transaction income during the period	8,500			204,000	204,000
Expenses on transactions with related party	60,000			1,440,000	1,440,000
Transaction, Tax Indemnification [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Tax Indemnification settlement liability				1,100,000
Tax indemnification settlement refund				5,400,000
Tax indemnification current, net				0	500,000
Amounts due under the transaction					2,600,000
Tax indemnification, recorded liability					2,100,000
Transaction, Supplemental Capacity Revenue Share [Member] | Viasat and Telesat [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Transaction income during the period	1,000,000			1,000,000	1,300,000
Duration of contract assigned to Telesat						15 years
Percentage of entity's entitlement to net revenue of related party						50.00%
Transaction term						4 years
Amounts due under the transaction				300,000	300,000
Transaction, Management Agreement [Member] | Xtar [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amounts due under the transaction				6,800,000	6,900,000
Management fee charged as a percentage of revenue				3.70%
Annual Fee [Member] | Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Transaction fee				5,000,000
Annual Fee [Member] | Transaction, Participation in welfare plans administrative fee [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Transaction fee				100,000
Monthly Fee [Member] | Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Director [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Transaction fee				120,000
Transaction income during the period							5,250
Expenses deductible from transaction fee				17,000
Years 2003 to 2006 [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] | Brazil [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Tax assessment imposed audit					7,000,000
Years 1999 to 2009 [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] | Hong Kong [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amount deposited with taxing authority								$ 6,500,000
12.5% Senior Subordinated Notes Due November 2017 [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Equity method investment senior subordinated notes interest rate stated percentage				12.50%
Indenture maturity date				Nov. 01, 2017
Redemption date of debt instrument				May 01, 2013