Employee Benefit Plans (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2013 segment	Dec. 31, 2012 segment	Dec. 31, 2011 segment	Dec. 31, 2012 EchoStar 401(k) Plan item	Dec. 31, 2011 EchoStar 401(k) Plan	Dec. 31, 2010 EchoStar 401(k) Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 Class A common stock Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2011 Class A common stock Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2010 Class A common stock Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Dec. 31, 2012 Hughes Acquisition Hughes 401(k) Plan item	Dec. 31, 2011 Hughes Acquisition Hughes 401(k) Plan
Employee Benefit Plans
Number of 401(k) employee saving plan	1	2	2	1						1
Employer matching contribution as a percentage of voluntary employee contributions under 401(k) plan (as a percent)				50.00%
Employer maximum annual contribution Per employee under 401(k) plan				$ 17,000
Employer maximum annual contribution Per employee under 401(k) plan				1,500
Discretionary stock contributions, net of forfeitures, under 401(k) plan				5,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000
Contribution limit per employee, as a percentage of eligible compensation				50.00%						25.00%
Highly compensated employee contribution limit as percentage of eligible compensation for highly compensated employees										16.00%
Employer match of employee contributions of 3% of eligible compensation (as a percent)										100.00%
Percentage of eligible compensation, matched 100% by employer										3.00%
Employer match of employee contributions for 6% of eligible compensation (as a percent)										50.00%
Percentage of eligible compensation, matched 50% by employer										6.00%
Vesting percentage of matching contributions to eligible employees				100.00%						100.00%
Eligibility for employer matching contributions, period of service				5 years						3 years
Matching contributions made by the company during the year				2,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000				7,000,000	3,000,000
Number of shares authorized for issue							2,500,000
Number of shares that remain available for issuance							1,700,000
Minimum period for which full-time employees employed by the entity are eligible to participate in the ESPP							3 months
Maximum fair value of capital stock permitted to be purchased by employees in any one year under ESPP							$ 25,000
Purchase price as percentage of closing market price on the last business day of each calendar quarter under ESPP							85.00%
Number of shares of common stock purchased under ESPP							158,000	140,000	139,000