Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Schedule of ASU Adoption Impact (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets:
Trade accounts receivable and contract assets, net	$ 217,524		$ 217,524			$ 189,737	$ 196,840
Other current assets	17,222		17,222			92,204	91,671
Investments in unconsolidated entities	160,669		160,669			168,344	161,427
Other noncurrent assets, net	262,866		262,866			237,359	214,814
Total assets	8,850,446		8,850,446			8,772,906	8,750,014
Liabilities:
Contract liabilities	74,135		74,135			64,417	65,959
Accrued expenses and other	72,464		72,464			82,902	82,647
Deferred tax liabilities, net	471,259		471,259
Other noncurrent liabilities	124,694		124,694			124,435	128,503
Total liabilities	4,591,716		4,591,716			4,570,396	4,572,629
Stockholders’ Equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(160,947)		(160,947)			(119,687)	(130,154)
Accumulated earnings	808,330		808,330			735,974	721,316
Total EchoStar Corporation stockholders’ equity	4,258,730	$ 3,895,819	4,258,730	$ 3,895,819	$ 4,244,252	4,202,510	4,177,385	$ 3,856,724	$ 4,021,313	$ 4,006,805
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	8,850,446		8,850,446			8,772,906	8,750,014
Revenue:
Revenues	532,953	481,233	1,560,702	1,379,460
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	107,490	91,003	313,839	263,820
Total costs and expenses	462,918	424,819	1,357,892	1,225,505
Operating income	70,035	56,414	202,810	153,955
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(62,086)	(55,646)	(186,371)	(156,498)
Gains and losses on investments, net	4,693	20,090	33,426	30,664
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates, net	416	4,381	(2,651)	15,620
Total other expense, net	(40,697)	(14,477)	(104,560)	(71,661)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	29,338	41,937	98,250	82,294
Income tax provision, net	(12,836)	(6,082)	(25,235)	(9,073)
Net income	16,502	35,201	73,015	79,675
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 16,052	$ 34,669	$ 71,723	$ 80,533
Earnings per share - Class A and B common stock:
Total basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.36	$ 0.75	$ 0.84
Total diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.36	$ 0.74	$ 0.83
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Net income	$ 16,502	$ 35,201	$ 73,015	$ 79,675
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and other	(120)	(12,037)	(105)	2,369
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities	0	0	0	3,298
Other comprehensive loss	(7,526)	(2,664)	(42,649)	36,071
Comprehensive income	8,976	32,537	30,366	115,746
Comprehensive income attributable to EchoStar Corporation	9,116	32,005	30,463	115,395
Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606
Assets:
Trade accounts receivable and contract assets, net							196,840
Other current assets							91,671
Investments in unconsolidated entities							161,427
Other noncurrent assets, net							214,814
Total assets							8,750,014
Liabilities:
Contract liabilities							65,959
Accrued expenses and other							82,647
Other noncurrent liabilities							128,503
Total liabilities							4,572,629
Stockholders’ Equity:
Total EchoStar Corporation stockholders’ equity							4,177,385
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity							8,750,014
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Comprehensive income	7,675		25,851
Comprehensive income attributable to EchoStar Corporation	7,815		25,948
Calculated Under Revenue Guidance In Effect Before Topic 606 And Accounting Standards Update 2016-01
Stockholders’ Equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss							(130,154)
Accumulated earnings							$ 721,316
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and other	97		13,753
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities			37,016
Other comprehensive loss	(7,309)		8,225
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606
Assets:
Trade accounts receivable and contract assets, net	226,035		226,035
Other current assets	16,689		16,689
Investments in unconsolidated entities	154,598		154,598
Other noncurrent assets, net	229,556		229,556
Total assets	8,819,043		8,819,043
Liabilities:
Contract liabilities	75,106		75,106
Accrued expenses and other	72,209		72,209
Deferred tax liabilities, net	466,546		466,546
Other noncurrent liabilities	126,928		126,928
Total liabilities	4,589,953		4,589,953
Stockholders’ Equity:
Total EchoStar Corporation stockholders’ equity	4,229,090		4,229,090
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	8,819,043		8,819,043
Revenue:
Revenues	532,854		1,562,629
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	108,460		319,664
Total costs and expenses	464,839		1,367,145
Operating income	68,015		195,484
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	(61,930)		(185,997)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates, net	585		(1,805)
Income tax provision, net	(12,442)		(23,644)
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Assets:
Trade accounts receivable and contract assets, net	8,511		8,511			(7,103)
Other current assets	(533)		(533)			533
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(6,071)		(6,071)			6,917
Other noncurrent assets, net	(33,310)		(33,310)			22,545
Total assets	(31,403)		(31,403)			22,892
Liabilities:
Contract liabilities	971		971			(1,542)
Accrued expenses and other	(255)		(255)			255
Deferred tax liabilities, net	(4,713)		(4,713)
Other noncurrent liabilities	2,234		2,234			(4,068)
Total liabilities	(1,763)		(1,763)			(2,233)
Stockholders’ Equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0		0			0
Accumulated earnings	(29,640)		(29,640)			25,125
Total EchoStar Corporation stockholders’ equity	(29,640)		(29,640)			25,125
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	(31,403)		(31,403)			22,892
Revenue:
Revenues	(99)		1,927
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	970		5,825
Total costs and expenses	1,921		9,253
Operating income	(2,020)		(7,326)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense, net of amounts capitalized	156		374
Gains and losses on investments, net	0		0
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates, net	169		846
Total other expense, net	325		1,220
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(1,695)		(6,106)
Income tax provision, net	394		1,591
Net income	(1,301)		(4,515)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ (1,301)		$ (4,515)
Earnings per share - Class A and B common stock:
Total basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.01)		$ (0.05)
Total diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ (0.01)		$ (0.05)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Net income	$ (1,301)		$ (4,515)
Comprehensive income	(1,301)		(4,515)
Comprehensive income attributable to EchoStar Corporation	(1,301)		(4,515)
Accounting Standards Update 2016-01
Stockholders’ Equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	40,407		40,407			10,467
Accumulated earnings	(40,407)		(40,407)			$ (10,467)
Other income (expense):
Gains and losses on investments, net	(217)		(50,874)
Total other expense, net	(217)		(50,874)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(217)		(50,874)
Net income	(217)		(50,874)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ (217)		$ (50,874)
Earnings per share - Class A and B common stock:
Total basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0		$ (0.53)
Total diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0		$ (0.52)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Net income	$ (217)		$ (50,874)
Unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and other	217		13,858
Other-than-temporary impairment loss on available-for-sale securities			37,016
Other comprehensive loss	217		50,874
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 And 2016-01 | Calculated Under Revenue Guidance In Effect Before Topic 606 And Accounting Standards Update 2016-01
Stockholders’ Equity:
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(120,540)		(120,540)
Accumulated earnings	738,283		738,283
Other income (expense):
Gains and losses on investments, net	4,476		(17,448)
Total other expense, net	(40,589)		(154,214)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	27,426		41,270
Net income	14,984		17,626
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	$ 14,534		$ 16,334
Earnings per share - Class A and B common stock:
Total basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15		$ 0.17
Total diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15		$ 0.17
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract]
Net income	$ 14,984		$ 17,626
Service [Member]
Revenue:
Revenues	388,248	310,973	1,118,733	865,817
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales - services and other (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	152,011	$ 143,048	451,913	$ 416,463
Service [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Calculated under Revenue Guidance in Effect before Topic 606
Revenue:
Revenues	388,149		1,120,660
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales - services and other (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	152,962		455,341
Service [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
Revenue:
Revenues	(99)		1,927
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales - services and other (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	$ 951		$ 3,428