Trade and other receivables - Expected timing of total contractual cash flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Contract receivable
2021	$ 69
2022	70
2023	77
2024	76
2025	69
Thereafter	340
Total	701
Orbital receivables
Proceeds from sale of orbital receivables	0	$ 0
Orbital receivables repurchased	$ 0	$ 24

Amount of cash inflow from the sale of orbital receivables.

No definition available.

Name:	maxr_ProceedsFromSaleOfOrbitalReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	maxr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of orbital receivable repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	maxr_RepurchaseOfOrbitalReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	maxr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount billed to customers under long-term contracts or programs but not paid. Excludes amounts due that have been withheld because of retainage provisions in a contract.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 910
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119991564&loc=SL119991595-234733

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableBilledForLongTermContractsOrPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractReceivableAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer under long-term contract or program when right to consideration is unconditional, excluding amount withheld under retainage provision in contract, to be collected after fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported from current statement of financial position date (rolling approach).

+ References