Related Party Transactions (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 11, 2011	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2009
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amounts due under the transaction		$ 240,000			$ 240,000		$ 381,000
Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Economic interest in affiliates		62.70%			62.70%
Common stock, percentage acquired by an unaffiliated third party					90.00%
Duration for shares to be paid, days					10 days
Xtar [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership interest		56.00%			56.00%
MHR Funds [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding voting common stock					39.90%		38.00%
Percentage of combined ownership of voting and non-voting common stock		58.40%			58.40%		57.10%
Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party transaction, date					Oct. 31, 2007
Transaction term					7 years
Consulting agreement, renewal term					7 years
Related party annual transaction rate					7.00%
Transaction income during the period		$ 1,250,000	$ 1,250,000		$ 2,500,000	$ 2,500,000
Transaction payments received during the period					2,400,000	2,400,000
Transaction, notes receivable		0			$ 0		$ 0
Transaction, Consulting Agreement [Member] | Director [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party transaction, date					Dec. 14, 2012
Transaction fee		360,000	360,000		$ 720,000	720,000
Transaction income during the period		15,750	15,750		31,500	31,500
Transaction, Supplemental Capacity Revenue Share [Member] | Viasat and Telesat [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Transaction term	4 years
Transaction income during the period			$ 200,000			$ 400,000
Amounts due under the transaction		0			0		200,000
Duration of contract assigned to Telesat	15 years
Percentage of entity's entitlement to net revenue of related party	50.00%
Transaction, Management Agreement [Member] | Xtar [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Amounts due under the transaction - Noncurrent		6,800,000			6,800,000		6,800,000
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Noncurrent		$ 6,600,000			6,600,000		$ 6,600,000
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, Welfare Plan Participation 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
Years 2003 to 2006 [Member] | Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] | Brazil [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Tax assessment imposed audit								$ 2,300,000