Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 2,353	$ (1,826)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Second-generation satellites, ground and related launch costs	(3,315)	(27,666)
Property and equipment additions	(1,483)	(569)
Investment in business	0	(355)
Restricted cash	0	8,625
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,798)	(19,965)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities
Payment of deferred financing costs	(164)	(1,481)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and stock options	8,986	1,206
Payments to reduce principal amount of exchanged 5.75% Notes	0	(13,544)
Payments to reduce principal amount of 5.75% Notes not exchanged	0	(6,250)
Payments to lenders and other fees associated with exchange	0	(2,482)
Proceeds from equity issuance to related party	0	39,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	8,822	16,449
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	15	(213)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	6,392	(5,555)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	17,408	11,792
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	23,800	6,237
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	920	(2,575)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Second-generation satellites, ground and related launch costs	(3,315)	(27,666)
Property and equipment additions	(88)
Investment in business		(355)
Restricted cash		8,625
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,403)	(19,396)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities
Payment of deferred financing costs	(164)	(1,481)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and stock options	8,986	1,206
Payments to reduce principal amount of exchanged 5.75% Notes		(13,544)
Payments to reduce principal amount of 5.75% Notes not exchanged		(6,250)
Payments to lenders and other fees associated with exchange		(2,482)
Proceeds from equity issuance to related party		39,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	8,822	16,449
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	6,339	(5,522)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	12,935	10,220
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	19,274
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,240	58
Cash flows from investing activities:
Second-generation satellites, ground and related launch costs
Property and equipment additions	(208)	(309)
Investment in business		0
Restricted cash
Net cash used in investing activities	(208)	(309)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities
Payment of deferred financing costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and stock options		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of exchanged 5.75% Notes		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of 5.75% Notes not exchanged		0
Payments to lenders and other fees associated with exchange		0
Proceeds from equity issuance to related party		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,032	(251)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	676	251
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,708
Reportable Legal Entities | Non- Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	193	691
Cash flows from investing activities:
Second-generation satellites, ground and related launch costs
Property and equipment additions	(1,187)	(260)
Investment in business		0
Restricted cash
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,187)	(260)
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities
Payment of deferred financing costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and stock options		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of exchanged 5.75% Notes		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of 5.75% Notes not exchanged		0
Payments to lenders and other fees associated with exchange		0
Proceeds from equity issuance to related party		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	15	(213)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(979)	218
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	3,797	1,321
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	2,818
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Second-generation satellites, ground and related launch costs
Property and equipment additions
Investment in business		0
Restricted cash
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities
Payment of deferred financing costs
Proceeds from issuance of common stock and stock options		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of exchanged 5.75% Notes		0
Payments to reduce principal amount of 5.75% Notes not exchanged		0
Payments to lenders and other fees associated with exchange		0
Proceeds from equity issuance to related party		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period