Revenue - Disaggregation of revenue from significant customers (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Revenue
Revenues	$ 1,723	$ 1,666	$ 1,804
U.S. Federal Government and agencies
Revenue
Revenues	1,062	940	816
Commercial and other
Revenue
Revenues	$ 661	$ 726	$ 988
Commercial and other | Revenue | Customer concentration risk
Revenue
Concentration risk, percentage	11.00%
Commercial and other | Revenue | Customer concentration risk | Maximum
Revenue
Concentration risk, percentage		10.00%	10.00%
Operating Segments
Revenue
Revenues	$ (79)	$ (125)	$ (78)
Intersegment eliminations
Revenue
Revenues	(79)	(125)	(78)
Intersegment eliminations | U.S. Federal Government and agencies
Revenue
Revenues		(1)	(1)
Intersegment eliminations | Commercial and other
Revenue
Revenues	(79)	(124)	(77)
Earth intelligence
Revenue
Revenues	1,081	1,085	1,059
Earth intelligence | U.S. Federal Government and agencies
Revenue
Revenues	774	790	712
Earth intelligence | Commercial and other
Revenue
Revenues	307	295	347
Earth intelligence | Operating Segments
Revenue
Revenues	1,081	1,085	1,059
Earth intelligence | Intersegment eliminations
Revenue
Revenues			1
Space Infrastructure
Revenue
Revenues	721	706	823
Space Infrastructure | U.S. Federal Government and agencies
Revenue
Revenues	288	151	105
Space Infrastructure | Commercial and other
Revenue
Revenues	433	555	718
Space Infrastructure | Operating Segments
Revenue
Revenues	721	706	823
Space Infrastructure | Intersegment eliminations
Revenue
Revenues	$ 79	$ 125	$ 77