Segment information - Operating performance (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2019 segment	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Segment information
Number of reportable segments | segment	2
Total revenues		$ 410	$ 413	$ 412	$ 431	$ 418	$ 433	$ 487	$ 466	$ 1,666	$ 1,804	$ 1,257
Corporate and other expense										86	49	8
Restructuring										18	13
Transaction and integration related expense										(16)	(33)	(60)
Impairment losses and inventory obsolescence										(17)	(652)
Satellite insurance recovery										183
Gain on sale of assets						$ 33				136	33
CEO severance										(3)
Depreciation and amortization										(376)	(439)	(152)
Interest expense, net										(219)	(200)	(97)
Interest income										2
Equity loss (income) from joint ventures, net of tax										(11)	(2)	1
Income (loss) before taxes										77	(923)	(223)
Operating Segments
Segment information
Total revenues										(125)	(78)	(6)
Operating Segments | Earth Intelligence
Segment information
Total revenues										1,085	1,059	331
Adjusted EBITDA										548	516	152
Operating Segments | Space Infrastructure
Segment information
Total revenues										706	823	932
Adjusted EBITDA										(17)	(75)	(59)
Intersegment eliminations
Segment information
Total revenues										(125)	(78)	$ (6)
Adjusted EBITDA										$ (29)	$ (9)