Represents the number of in-orbit and fully commissioned satellites operated by the entity.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount before accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount after accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization of physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include, but are not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.13)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph a
-Article 5

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 8
-Article 7

+ Details

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- Definition

Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Property and Equipment (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
Property and Equipment (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 3,390.3	$ 3,259.6		$ 3,390.3
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(1,387.8)	(1,179.4)		(1,387.8)
Property and equipment, net	2,002.5	2,080.2		$ 2,002.5
Depreciation expense	$ 257.8	270.6	$ 228.9
Number of in-orbit and fully commissioned satellites operated \| item	4			4
Satellites
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 1,797.7	1,797.7		$ 1,797.7
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(934.8)	(777.4)		(934.8)
Property and equipment, net	862.9	1,020.3		$ 862.9
Satellites \| Minimum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				9 years
Satellites \| Maximum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				13 years
GeoEye-1 Satellite
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				9 years
Total property and equipment	211.8	211.8		$ 211.8
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(165.9)	(123.6)		(165.9)
Property and equipment, net	45.9	88.2		$ 45.9
WorldView-1 Satellite
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				13 years
Total property and equipment	473.2	473.2		$ 473.2
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(370.1)	(343.4)		(370.1)
Property and equipment, net	103.1	129.8		$ 103.1
WorldView-2 Satellite
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				13 years
Total property and equipment	463.2	463.2		$ 463.2
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(271.7)	(239.8)		(271.7)
Property and equipment, net	191.5	223.4		$ 191.5
WorldView-3 Satellite
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				11 years 6 months
Total property and equipment	649.5	649.5		$ 649.5
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(127.1)	(70.6)		(127.1)
Property and equipment, net	522.4	578.9		522.4
Construction in progress
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	948.5	815.3		948.5
Computer equipment and software
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	$ 484.8	$ 470.5		$ 484.8
Computer equipment and software \| Minimum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				3 years
Computer equipment and software \| Maximum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				12 years
Machinery and equipment, including ground terminals
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life	5 years	5 years
Total property and equipment	$ 103.3	$ 110.6		$ 103.3
Leasehold improvements
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	51.1	53.0		$ 51.1
Leasehold improvements \| Minimum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				3 years
Leasehold improvements \| Maximum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				15 years
Furniture, fixtures and other
Property and Equipment
Total property and equipment	4.4	5.9		$ 4.4
Furniture, fixtures and other \| Minimum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				5 years
Furniture, fixtures and other \| Maximum
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				7 years
Land and buildings
Property and Equipment
Depreciable Life				34 years
Total property and equipment	$ 0.5	$ 6.6		$ 0.5