Supplemental Financial Information (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities

	For The Six Months Ended June 30,
	2018			2017
	(in thousands)
Employee benefits paid in Class A common stock	$	7,605		$	11,200
Property and equipment financed under capital lease obligations	$	123		$	8,189
Decrease in capital expenditures included in accounts payable, net	$	(8,467	)	$	(3,404	)
Capitalized in-orbit incentive obligations	$	—		$	43,890
Noncash net assets exchanged for Tracking Stock (Note 1)	$	—		$	299,425

Schedule of Cost of Sales and Research and Development Costs [Table Text Block]

	For the three months ended June 30,				For the six months ended June 30,
	2018		2017		2018		2017
	(In thousands)
Cost of sales	$	6,290	$	6,785	$	12,888	$	13,686
Research and development	$	6,647	$	7,437	$	13,784	$	15,142