Revenue - Disaggregation of revenue by source (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Revenue
Revenues	$ 381	$ 431
COVID-19 | Commercial Satellite Contract
Revenue
Estimated total cost of completion	12
Product
Revenue
Revenues	107	166
Service
Revenue
Revenues	274	265
Space Infrastructure | COVID-19
Revenue
Estimated total cost of completion	18
Estimated Loss	19
Space Systems
Revenue
Orbital interest revenue	7	7
Operating Segments
Revenue
Revenues	(22)	(33)
Operating Segments | Earth intelligence
Revenue
Revenues	271	254
Operating Segments | Earth intelligence | Service
Revenue
Revenues	271	254
Operating Segments | Space Infrastructure
Revenue
Revenues	132	210
Operating Segments | Space Infrastructure | Product
Revenue
Revenues	107	166
Operating Segments | Space Infrastructure | Service
Revenue
Revenues	3	11
Intersegment eliminations
Revenue
Revenues	(22)	(33)
Intersegment eliminations | Space Infrastructure
Revenue
Revenues	$ 22	$ 33