Investments In Affiliates (Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Data) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Telesat Holdings Inc. [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 196,023	$ 205,722
Operating expenses	(83,740)	(46,775)
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation	(60,488)	(62,191)
Loss on disposition of long lived assets	(58)	(759)
Operating income (loss)	51,737	95,997
Interest expense	(51,690)	(56,312)
Expense of refinancing	(21,862)
Foreign exchange gains	62,490	83,330
Losses on financial instruments	(26,425)	(29,723)
Other income	724	1,096
Income tax benefit (provision)	2,429	(15,725)
Net income	17,403	78,663
Current assets	301,849		351,802
Total assets	5,420,132		5,347,174
Current liabilities	302,995		289,351
Long-term debt, including current portion	3,312,120		2,817,857
Promissory note	143,596
Total liabilities	4,800,054		4,045,619
Redeemable preferred stock			138,485
Shareholders'/Members' equity	620,078		1,163,070
XTAR, LLC [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Revenues	7,851	8,870
Operating expenses	(8,324)	(8,504)
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation	(2,405)	(2,405)
Operating income (loss)	(2,878)	(2,039)
Net income	(3,671)	(3,137)
Current assets	9,509		10,558
Total assets	84,580		88,033
Current liabilities	45,730		45,704
Total liabilities	54,832		54,614
Shareholders'/Members' equity	$ 29,748		$ 33,419