Financial instruments and fair value disclosures - Financial instruments measured at fair value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets
Orbital receivables	$ 382	$ 407
Recurring
Assets
Short-term investments	1
Orbital receivables	425	441
Long-term investments		1
Assets fair value	426	442
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	3,004	2,925
Liabilities fair value	3,022	2,929
Recurring \| Interest rate swaps
Liabilities
Derivative financial instruments	18	4
Recurring \| Level 1
Assets
Short-term investments	1
Long-term investments		1
Assets fair value	1	1
Recurring \| Level 2
Assets
Orbital receivables	425	441
Assets fair value	425	441
Liabilities
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	3,004	2,925
Liabilities fair value	3,022	2,929
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Interest rate swaps
Liabilities
Derivative financial instruments	$ 18	$ 4

Fair value portion of long term investments.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The amount of non current portion of orbital receivables.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair value portion of short term investments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

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- References

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- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118260190&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226008-175313

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- Definition

Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

+ References

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- References

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- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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