Revenue Recognition - Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 18,576	$ 17,814	$ 35,717	$ 32,647
Technology development
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	6,815	6,441	13,630	13,082
Test, measurement and sensing systems
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,275	10,746	21,036	18,089
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	486	627	1,051	1,476
Goods transferred at a point in time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,629	13,769	21,871	18,666
Goods/services transferred over time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	6,947	4,045	13,846	13,981
Fixed-price contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	15,123	14,877	29,217	26,732
Cost-type contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,453	2,937	6,500	5,915
Sales to the U.S. government
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	6,828	6,705	13,632	13,966
U.S. direct commercial sales and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,856	5,374	10,491	8,674
Foreign commercial sales & other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,892	5,735	11,594	10,007
United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	12,684	12,079	24,124	22,640
Asia
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,568	3,316	7,324	5,722
Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,854	1,775	3,567	3,431
Canada, Central and South America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	258	537	463	717
All Others
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	212	107	239	137
Lightwave
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	12,933	12,523	24,487	22,041
Lightwave | Technology development
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,527	1,480	3,235	3,063
Lightwave | Test, measurement and sensing systems
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,275	10,746	21,036	18,089
Lightwave | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	131	297	216	889
Lightwave | Goods transferred at a point in time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,275	10,741	21,036	18,079
Lightwave | Goods/services transferred over time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,658	1,782	3,451	3,962
Lightwave | Fixed-price contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	12,160	11,848	22,950	20,656
Lightwave | Cost-type contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	773	675	1,537	1,385
Lightwave | Sales to the U.S. government
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,727	1,858	3,520	4,187
Lightwave | U.S. direct commercial sales and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,314	4,930	9,373	7,847
Lightwave | Foreign commercial sales & other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,892	5,735	11,594	10,007
Lightwave | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	7,041	6,788	12,894	12,034
Lightwave | Asia
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	3,568	3,316	7,324	5,722
Lightwave | Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,854	1,775	3,567	3,431
Lightwave | Canada, Central and South America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	258	537	463	717
Lightwave | All Others
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	212	107	239	137
Luna Labs
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,643	5,291	11,230	10,606
Luna Labs | Technology development
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,289	4,961	10,395	10,019
Luna Labs | Test, measurement and sensing systems
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Luna Labs | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	354	330	835	587
Luna Labs | Goods transferred at a point in time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	354	3,029	835	587
Luna Labs | Goods/services transferred over time
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,289	2,262	10,395	10,019
Luna Labs | Fixed-price contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	2,963	3,029	6,267	6,076
Luna Labs | Cost-type contracts
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	2,680	2,262	4,963	4,530
Luna Labs | Sales to the U.S. government
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,101	4,847	10,112	9,779
Luna Labs | U.S. direct commercial sales and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	542	444	1,118	827
Luna Labs | Foreign commercial sales & other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Luna Labs | United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,643	5,291	11,230	10,606
Luna Labs | Asia
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Luna Labs | Europe
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Luna Labs | Canada, Central and South America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Luna Labs | All Others
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0