Investments in Affiliates (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Investments In Affiliates

	June 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
Telesat Holdings Inc.	$	—	$	377,244
XTAR, LLC		65,982		68,991
	$	65,982	$	446,235

Equity In Net Income (Losses) Of Affiliates

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Telesat Holdings Inc.	$	(8,855	)	$	26,059		$	(1,475	)	$	74,081
XTAR, LLC		(2,498	)		(2,089	)		(3,009	)		(3,853	)
Other		—			(30	)		—			(42	)
	$	(11,353	)	$	23,940		$	(4,484	)	$	70,186

Effect Of Affiliate Transactions On Operating Statement

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Revenues	$	22,427		$	33,594		$	46,583		$	75,845
Elimination of Loral’s proportionate share of profits relating to affiliate transactions		(7,184	)		127			(14,025	)		(7,193	)
Profits relating to affiliate transactions not eliminated		4,041			(71	)		7,889			4,049

Telesat Holdings Inc. [Member]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Data

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Statement of Operations Data:
Revenues	$	199,852		$	207,139		$	395,875			412,861
Operating expenses		(52,207	)		(47,041	)		(135,947	)		(93,816	)
Depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation		(61,009	)		(62,768	)		(121,497	)		(124,959	)
Loss on disposition of long lived asset		(18	)		(5	)		(76	)		(764	)
Operating income		86,618			97,325			138,355			193,322
Interest expense		(61,592	)		(54,373	)		(113,282	)		(110,685	)
Expense of refinancing		(57,541	)		—			(79,403	)		—
Foreign exchange (losses) gains		(56,178	)		15,238			6,312			98,568
Financial instruments gains (losses)		25,770			(11,171	)		(655	)		(40,894	)
Other income		241			494			965			1,590
Income tax provision		(6,748	)		(9,158	)		(4,319	)		(24,883	)
Net (loss) income		(69,430	)		38,355			(52,027	)		117,018

	June 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
Balance Sheet Data:
Current assets	$	218,161	$	351,802
Total assets		5,253,525		5,347,174
Current liabilities		248,740		289,351
Long-term debt, including current portion		3,307,511		2,817,857
Promissory note		140,393		—
Total liabilities		4,712,677		4,045,619
Redeemable preferred stock		—		138,485
Shareholders’ equity		540,848		1,163,070

XTAR, LLC [Member]

Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]

Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Data

	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2012			2011			2012			2011
Statement of Operations Data:
Revenues	$	6,821		$	8,457		$	14,672		$	17,327
Operating expenses		(8,279	)		(8,625	)		(16,603	)		(17,129	)
Depreciation and amortization		(2,345	)		(2,403	)		(4,750	)		(4,808	)
Operating loss		(3,803	)		(2,571	)		(6,681	)		(4,610	)
Net loss		(4,572	)		(3,723	)		(8,243	)		(6,860	)

	June 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
Balance Sheet Data:
Current assets	$	7,276	$	10,558
Total assets		80,000		88,033
Current liabilities		45,530		45,704
Total liabilities		54,824		54,614
Members’ equity		25,176		33,419