Share-based payment plans - Share Appreciation Rights (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2019 $ / shares
Omnibus Plan
Number of Awards
Granted (in shares)	0
Share Appreciation Rights | Pre 2017 LTIP
Additional disclosures
Vesting period	3 years
Vesting percentage	33.33%
Share Appreciation Rights | 2017 LTIP
Additional disclosures
Vesting period	4 years
Vesting percentage	25.00%
Share Appreciation Rights | Omnibus Plan
Additional disclosures
Vesting period	4 years
Vesting percentage	25.00%
SARs Liability Classified Awards
Number of Awards
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	774,430
Granted (in shares)	0		0
Exercised (in shares)	0
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(195,110)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	579,320		774,430
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period	579,320
Exercisable at the end of the period	566,340
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (per share) | $ / shares		$ 63.86
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares							$ 63.30
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares		63.12		$ 63.86
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period | $ / shares							63.12
Exercisable at the end of the period | $ / shares							63.46
Contractual Term (in years)
Outstanding at the end of the period	1 year 6 months 21 days
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period	1 year 6 months 21 days
Exercisable at the end of the period	1 year 5 months 4 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Total intrinsic value of exercised shares | $			$ 0		$ 1
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Granted (per share) | $ / shares						$ 68.84
SARs Accounted for as Equity Classified Awards
Number of Awards
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	1,219,028
Granted (in shares)	0
Exercised (in shares)	0
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(293,437)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	925,591		1,219,028
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period	925,591
Exercisable at the end of the period	588,076
Weighted Average Exercise Price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (per share) | $ / shares		51.05
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares							50.66
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares		$ 51.18		51.05
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period | $ / shares							51.18
Exercisable at the end of the period | $ / shares							$ 50.75
Contractual Term (in years)
Outstanding at the end of the period	6 years 8 months 15 days
Vested and expected to vest at the end of the period	6 years 8 months 15 days
Exercisable at the end of the period	6 years 6 months 25 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Total intrinsic value of exercised shares | $			$ 0		0
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Granted (per share) | $ / shares				$ 10.37		$ 75.09
Restricted Share Units
Number of Awards
Granted (in shares)	1,086,004
Vested (in shares)	(16,934)
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(82,335)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	986,735
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Granted (per share) | $ / shares	$ 7.90
Vested (per share) | $ / shares	6.59
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares	8.03
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 7.91
Additional disclosures
Vesting period	3 years
Restricted Share Units | Omnibus and DigitalGlobe Equity Incentive Plan
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Total fair value of vested awards | $	$ 14		$ 19		$ 5
Additional disclosures
Total unrecognized compensation expense | $	$ 7	$ 7
Weighted average remaining period (in years)	1 year 2 months 12 days
Restricted Share Units | Omnibus Plan
Number of Awards
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	419,512
Granted (in shares)	77,259
Vested (in shares)	(150,337)
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(98,936)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	247,498		419,512
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 51.99
Granted (per share) | $ / shares	4.75
Vested (per share) | $ / shares	52.88
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares	52.74
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 36.42		$ 51.99
Additional disclosures
Vesting percentage					33.33%
Restricted Share Units | DigitalGlobe Equity Plan
Number of Awards
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)	273,861
Granted (in shares)					0
Vested (in shares)	(117,346)
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(55,844)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	100,671		273,861
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 54.57
Vested (per share) | $ / shares	54.57
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares	54.57
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 54.57		$ 54.57
RSUs Liability Classified Awards
Number of Awards
Granted (in shares)	1,054,658
Cancelled or expired (in shares)	(108,377)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)	946,281
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Granted (per share) | $ / shares	$ 6.93
Cancelled or expired (per share) | $ / shares	6.92
Outstanding at the end of the period (per share) | $ / shares	$ 6.93
RSUs Liability Classified Awards | Omnibus Plan
Additional disclosures
Total unrecognized compensation expense | $	$ 8	$ 8
Weighted average remaining period (in years)	1 year 4 months 24 days