Investments in Affiliates (Narrative) (Detail)			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Mar. 28, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 28, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Mar. 31, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Sep. 30, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] CAD	Sep. 30, 2011 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2009 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($) Y	Dec. 31, 2011 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2008 XTAR, LLC [Member] USD ($)	May 31, 2012 Senior Note Due 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] Private Placement [Member]	May 14, 2012 Senior Note Due 2017 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member] Private Placement [Member] USD ($)	May 31, 2012 Senior Note Due 2015 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	May 14, 2012 Senior Note Due 2015 [Member] Telesat Holdings Inc [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Notes Indenture [Member]
Investments In Affiliates [Line Items]
Sale premium received on sale of net assets to affiliate												$ 13,000,000
Recognition of Intercompany profit previously eliminated												5,000,000
Elimination of share (economic interest) of profit on sale of net assets to affiliate												11,000,000
Economic interest in affiliates									64.00%	64.00%		64.00%
Gain on sales of net asset to affiliate after intercompany profit elimination											7,000,000
Gain on sales of net asset to affiliate after intercompany profit elimination, discontinued operations.											1,800,000
Profits recognized on affiliate sales eliminated in earlier periods									4,600,000
Voting interests, affiliates									33.33%	33.33%
Maximum borrowing under credit agreement					2,550,000,000
Increase in indebtedness					490,000,000
Deferred financing cost written-off on debt refinancing					22,000,000
Distributions declared to shareholders, option holders and certain employees										656,500,000
Distribution declared to Loral										420,000,000
Distribution to Loral			44,000,000	45,000,000	376,000,000	375,000,000
Investments in Equity Method Affiliates	63,913,000	446,235,000							0			377,244,000	63,913,000		68,991,000
Excess Cash Distribution recorded as equity income in affiliate									31,000,000
Future equity income in affiliate to be recouped									31,000,000
Promissory note issued								146,000,000
Promissory note - minimum redemption							50.00%	50.00%
Promissory note - minimum redemption date							Mar. 28, 2014	Mar. 28, 2014
Promissory note, Maturity date							Mar. 28, 2016	Mar. 28, 2016
Promissory note, stated interest rate, year 1 and 2							9.75%	9.75%
Promissory note, stated interest rate, minimum interest after year 2							11.00%	11.00%
Senior note																		700,000,000
Interest on notes									7.00%	7.00%								6.00%		11.00%	12.50%
Maturity date																	May 15, 2017		Nov. 01, 2015
Additional senior notes issued									200,000,000
Interest on Additional Senior Notes issued by equity method investee									6.00%	6.00%
Interest expense Multiplier to determine EBITDA available for dividend distribution									140.00%	140.00%
Debt to EBITDA ratio required for payment of consulting fee to investor									500.00%	500.00%
Payments received from affiliate from consulting fees and interest									1,600,000		3,200,000
Promissory Notes Received For Consulting Fees									3,300,000		3,300,000
Promissory Notes Received For Interest									1,600,000		1,600,000
Interest rate on Promissory Note issued by equity method investee to Loral									7.00%	7.00%
Maturity date of promissory note									Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2018
Amount paid to pay off the outstanding note with interest due									24,100,000
Percentage rate of Joint venture													56.00%
Lease obligation													24,000,000
Maximum annual lease obligation													28,000,000
Estimated end of useful life of lease obligation													2022
Lease agreement, Past due														6,700,000		32,300,000
Deferred lease payments													5,000,000
Repayment term past due and deferred lease obligation, years														12
Discount rate for prepayment of restructured past due and deferred lease obligation													9.00%
Cumulative payments of restructured past due and deferred lease obligation													$ 17,900,000