Segments (Summarized Financial Information Of Reportable Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Revenues
Total revenues as reported	$ 306,199,000		$ 268,845,000	$ 252,422,000	$ 279,899,000	$ 326,671,000		$ 323,438,000	$ 279,962,000	$ 228,914,000	$ 1,107,365,000		$ 1,158,985,000		$ 993,400,000
Segment Reporting Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											120,210,000	[1]	123,745,000	[1]	67,521,000	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation as reported											(33,689,000)	[1]	(36,280,000)	[1]	(47,310,000)	[1]
Gain on disposition of net assets											6,913,000	[2]
Director's indemnification expense													(6,857,000)	[3]
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Operating income as reported	28,127,000		14,371,000	23,484,000	27,452,000	34,156,000		39,621,000	23,098,000	(16,267,000)	93,434,000		80,608,000		20,211,000
Segment Reporting Information Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											36,965,000		54,057,000		43,557,000
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	1,836,153,000	[4]				1,754,909,000	[4]				1,836,153,000	[4]	1,754,909,000	[4]
Milestone payments received from Telesat											140,000,000		137,000,000		92,000,000
Telesat [Member]
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	2,400,000,000					2,400,000,000					2,400,000,000		2,400,000,000
Satellite Manufacturing - External [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											967,432,000		1,021,768,000		901,283,000
Intersegment [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											140,763,000	[5]	143,318,000	[5]	107,401,000	[5]
Satellite Manufacturing Total [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											1,108,195,000		1,165,086,000		1,008,684,000
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											137,659,000	[1]	143,076,000	[1]	90,565,000	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation as reported											(32,514,000)	[1]	(34,675,000)	[1]	(44,203,000)	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Payments To Acquire Productive Assets [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											36,615,000		35,378,000		26,426,000
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	929,408,000	[4]				920,647,000	[4]				929,408,000	[4]	920,647,000	[4]
Satellite Services [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											817,269,000	[6]	797,283,000	[6]	691,566,000	[6]
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											629,150,000	[1],[6]	606,651,000	[1],[6]	488,149,000	[1],[6]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation as reported											(248,010,000)	[1],[6]	(249,318,000)	[1],[6]	(230,176,000)	[1],[6]
Segment Reporting Information Payments To Acquire Productive Assets [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											390,641,000	[6]	254,020,000	[6]	231,654,000	[6]
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	5,724,418,000	[4],[7]				5,605,239,000	[4],[7]				5,724,418,000	[4],[7]	5,605,239,000	[4],[7]
Operating Segment Total Before Eliminations [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											1,925,464,000		1,962,369,000		1,700,250,000
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											749,639,000	[1]	731,861,000	[1]	557,343,000	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation as reported											(281,699,000)	[1]	(285,598,000)	[1]	(277,486,000)	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Payments To Acquire Productive Assets [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											427,606,000	[4]	308,077,000	[4]	275,211,000	[4]
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	7,183,327,000	[4]				7,064,350,000	[4]				7,183,327,000	[4]	7,064,350,000	[4]
Intercompany Eliminations [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											(830,000)	[8]	(6,101,000)	[8]	(15,284,000)	[8]
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											(279,000)	[1],[8]	(1,465,000)	[1],[8]	(1,673,000)	[1],[8]
Affiliate Eliminations [Member]
Revenues
Total revenues as reported											(817,269,000)	[6]	(797,283,000)	[6]	(691,566,000)	[6]
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											(629,150,000)	[1],[6]	(606,651,000)	[1],[6]	(488,149,000)	[1],[6]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Affiliate eliminations											248,010,000	[1],[6]	249,318,000	[1],[6]	230,176,000	[1],[6]
Segment Reporting Information Payments To Acquire Productive Assets [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											(390,641,000)	[6]	(254,020,000)	[6]	(231,654,000)	[6]
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	(5,347,174,000)	[4],[6]				(5,309,441,000)	[4],[6]				(5,347,174,000)	[4],[6]	(5,309,441,000)	[4],[6]
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information Adjusted EBITDA [Abstract]
Adjusted EBITDA											(17,170,000)	[1],[9]	(17,866,000)	[1],[9]	(21,371,000)	[1],[9]
Segment Reporting Information Reconciliation To Operating Income [Abstract]
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation as reported											(1,175,000)	[1]	(1,605,000)	[1]	(3,107,000)	[1]
Segment Reporting Information Payments To Acquire Productive Assets [Abstract]
Capital expenditures as reported											350,000		18,679,000		17,131,000
Segment Reporting Information Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets, Total	$ 529,501,000	[4]				$ 538,464,000	[4]				$ 529,501,000	[4]	$ 538,464,000	[4]

[1] Compensation expense related to SS/L Phantom SARs and restricted stock units paid in cash or expected to be paid in cash is included in Adjusted EBITDA. Compensation expense related to SS/L Phantom SARs and restricted stock units paid in Loral common stock or expected to be paid in Loral common stock is included in depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation.

[2] Represents the gain on the sale of Loral's portion of the payload on the ViaSat-1 satellite and related net assets to Telesat adjusted for elimination of Loral's 64% ownership interest in Telesat (see Note 17).

[3] Represents indemnification expense, net of insurance recovery, in connection with defense costs incurred by MHR affiliated directors in the Delaware shareholder derivative case (see Note 15).

[4] Amounts are presented after the elimination of intercompany profit.

[5] Intersegment revenues include $140 million, $137 million and $92 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, of revenue from affiliates.

[6] Satellite services represents Telesat. Affiliate eliminations represent the elimination of amounts attributable to Telesat whose results are reported under the equity method of accounting in our consolidated statements of operations (see Note 7).

[7] Includes $2.4 billion of satellite services goodwill related to Telesat as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

[8] Represents the elimination of intercompany sales and intercompany Adjusted EBITDA for a satellite under construction by SS/L for Loral.

[9] Includes corporate expenses incurred in support of our operations and includes our equity investments in XTAR and Globalstar service providers.