Investments in Affiliates (Equity in Net Income (Losses) of Affiliates) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	[1],[2]	Sep. 30, 2016	[1],[2]	Jun. 30, 2016	[1],[2]	Mar. 31, 2016	[1],[2]	Dec. 31, 2015	[1],[2]	Sep. 30, 2015	[1],[2]	Jun. 30, 2015	[1],[2]	Mar. 31, 2015	[1],[2]	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates	$ (12,721)		$ 6,948		$ 43,357		$ 46,494		$ (14,559)		$ (38,475)		$ 25,087		$ (76,845)		$ 84,078	$ (104,792)	$ (1,502)
Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates																	$ 84,078	(74,329)	24,698
XTAR, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliates																		$ (30,463)	$ (26,200)

[1] Amounts include equity in net income (loss) of affiliates of $5.1 million and $(3.5) million for the quarters ended June 30, 2016, and September 30, 2015, respectively, that should have been recognized in prior periods. Equity in net income of affiliates for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 does not include a loss of $2.1 million that was recognized in the quarter ended June 30, 2016. These adjustments, which related to our investment in Telesat, consisted primarily of foreign exchange gains and losses. The Company has not revised previously reported amounts based on its belief that the effect of such adjustments is not material to the quarterly financial statements taken as a whole.

[2] The quarterly earnings per share information is computed separately for each period. Therefore, the sum of such quarterly per share amounts may differ from the total for the year.