Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Summary of significant accounting policies
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Maxar Technologies Inc., and its consolidated subsidiaries. The Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for certain financial assets and liabilities including derivative financial instruments which are stated at fair value. References to “C$” refer to Canadian currency. The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Unless otherwise indicated, amounts provided in the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements pertain to continuing operations (See Note 3 for information on discontinued operations). Certain amounts in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. In management’s opinion, all adjustments of a normal recurring nature that are necessary for a fair statement of the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been included.
Use of estimates, assumptions and judgments	Use of estimates, assumptions and judgments The preparation of the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the reporting date, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared using the most current and best available information; however, actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Financial Instruments In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”) which, together with subsequent amendments, is included in ASC 326 – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. ASC 326, as amended, significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. ASC 326, as amended, will require immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of many financial assets, which will generally result in earlier recognition of allowances for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. These updates are effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted this standard and related amendments effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this standard resulted in additional disclosures related to the Company's orbital receivables. Refer to Note 4 for details. There were no impacts to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of adoption. Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. ASU 2019-12 also simplifies aspects of accounting for franchise taxes and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company early adopted this standard and related amendments effective January 1, 2020, in order to utilize the simplifying provision that removes the exception to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation when a loss is incurred from continuing operations and income or a gain results from another item such as discontinued operations or other comprehensive income. The impact on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is to simplify the quarterly presentation related to the ordinary loss and the gain recorded in discontinued operations. There were no additional material impacts to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of adoption.
Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted	Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815 In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-01, Investments – Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815 (“ASU 2020-01”). ASU 2020-01 clarifies the accounting for certain equity securities upon application or discontinuation of the equity method of accounting and includes scope considerations for forward contracts and purchased options on certain securities. ASU 2020-01 is effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company performed a preliminary assessment of this guidance and does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. Reference Rate Reform In March 2020, FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU 2020-04”). The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the U.S. GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. This guidance was effective beginning on March 12, 2020, and the Company may elect to apply the amendments prospectively through December 31, 2022. The Company expects that it will elect to apply some of the expedients and exceptions in ASU 2020-04. However, the Company is still evaluating the guidance and the impact that adoption of ASU 2020-04 will have on the Company's financial statements.

Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Summary of significant accounting policies

The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Maxar Technologies Inc., and its consolidated subsidiaries. The Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

The Company’s Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in U.S. dollars and have been prepared on a historical cost basis, except for certain financial assets and liabilities including derivative financial instruments which are stated at fair value. References to “C$” refer to Canadian currency.

The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. Unless otherwise indicated, amounts provided in the Notes to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements pertain to continuing operations (See Note 3 for information on discontinued operations). Certain amounts in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. In management’s opinion, all adjustments of a normal recurring nature that are necessary for a fair statement of the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been included.

Use of estimates, assumptions and judgments

The preparation of the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the reporting date, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared using the most current and best available information; however, actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Financial Instruments

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”) which, together with subsequent amendments, is included in ASC 326 – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses. ASC 326, as amended, significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. ASC 326, as amended, will require immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of many financial assets, which will generally result in earlier recognition of allowances for credit losses on loans and other financial instruments. These updates are effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for

financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted this standard and related amendments effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this standard resulted in additional disclosures related to the Company's orbital receivables. Refer to Note 4 for details. There were no impacts to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of adoption.

Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. ASU 2019-12 also simplifies aspects of accounting for franchise taxes and clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company early adopted this standard and related amendments effective January 1, 2020, in order to utilize the simplifying provision that removes the exception to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation when a loss is incurred from continuing operations and income or a gain results from another item such as discontinued operations or other comprehensive income. The impact on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements is to simplify the quarterly presentation related to the ordinary loss and the gain recorded in discontinued operations. There were no additional material impacts to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of adoption.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815

In January 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-01, Investments – Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815 (“ASU 2020-01”). ASU 2020-01 clarifies the accounting for certain equity securities upon application or discontinuation of the equity method of accounting and includes scope considerations for forward contracts and purchased options on certain securities. ASU 2020-01 is effective for annual and interim financial statement periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company performed a preliminary assessment of this guidance and does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Reference Rate Reform

In March 2020, FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU 2020-04”). The ASU is intended to provide temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the U.S. GAAP guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burdens related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. This guidance was effective beginning on March 12, 2020, and the Company may elect to apply the amendments prospectively through December 31, 2022. The Company expects that it will elect to apply some of the expedients and exceptions in ASU 2020-04. However, the Company is still evaluating the guidance and the impact that adoption of ASU 2020-04 will have on the Company's financial statements.