Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]

No definition available.

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- Definition

Intial payment Jointly and severally payable with a couterparty upon lawsuit settlement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementAmountInitialPaymentJointSeveralLiability
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Settlement arrived at with plaintiff payable jointly and severally with a couterparty

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of each installment payable on a joint and several liability basis

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Future payments jointly and severally payable with a counterparty upon law suit settlement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

End date of installments jointly and severally payable with counterparty towards settlement of lawsuit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementInstallmentEndDateJointSeveralLiability
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Frequency of installments jointly and severally payable towards settlement of lawsuit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementInstallmentFrequencyJointSeveralLiability
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of installments payable on a joint and several liability basis

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementInstallmentNumberJointAndSeveralLiability
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Start date of installments jointly and severally payable with counterparty towards settlement of lawsuit.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementInstallmentStartDateJointServeralLiability
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value of lawsuit settlement obligation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_LawsuitSettlementObligationCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Obligation with joint and several liability - amount payable by counterparty

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_ObligationWithJointAndSeveralLiabilityAmountPayableByCounterparty
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Payments for legal settlements, cumulative.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lorl_PaymentsForLegalSettlementsCumulative
Namespace Prefix:	lorl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Identifies the plaintiff in the lawsuit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

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-Publisher FASB
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNameOfPlaintiff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Name of the other party to the settlement agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective date of a duly executed litigation settlement agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of joint and several liability recognized in the balance sheet.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 405
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64861610&loc=SL34748401-199205

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for the settlement of litigation or for other legal issues during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3536-108585

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Globalstar do Brasil S.A. [Member]
Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual			$ 0.4	$ 1.0
Pre Closing Taxes Indemnification [Member] \| Sale of SSL, Nov. 02, 2012 [Member]
Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]
Loss contingency accrual			$ (2.4)	(2.0)
ViaSat Lawsuit, Sep. 2014 [Member] \| Sale of SSL, Nov. 02, 2012 [Member]
Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]
Settlement agreement date			September 2014
Settlement agreement, plaintiff's name			ViaSat, Inc.
Settlement agreement, counterparty's name			SSL
Lawsuit settlement amount, joint & several liability		$ 100.0
Lawsuit settlement initial payment, joint & several liability		40.0
Lawsuit settlement future payments, joint & several liability		60.0
Lawsuit settlement installment number, joint and several liability			10
Lawsuit settlement installment frequency, joint & several liability			quarterly
Lawsuit settlement amount of each installment, joint & several liability		$ 6.9
Lawsuit settlement installment start date, joint & several liability			Oct. 15, 2014
Lawsuit settlement installment end date, joint & several liability			Jan. 15, 2017
Obligation with joint and several liability arrangement, amount recognized					$ 45.0
Obligation with joint and several liability amount payable by counterparty					$ 55.0
Payments for legal settlements, cumulative			$ 43.3
Lawsuit settlement obligation carrying value			$ 2.8	$ 13.5
Subsequent Event [Member] \| ViaSat Lawsuit, Sep. 2014 [Member] \| Sale of SSL, Nov. 02, 2012 [Member]
Contingencies And Commitments [Line Items]
Payments for legal settlements	$ 2.8