Segment Reporting - Revenue, Capital Expenditures, and EBITDA (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 530,661	$ 532,953	$ 525,957	$ 501,792	$ 506,048	$ 481,233	$ 465,076	$ 433,151	$ 2,091,363	$ 1,885,508	$ 1,810,466
EBITDA									756,669	794,577	751,005
Capital expenditures									477,617	566,384	628,510
Interest income and expense, net									(168,293)	(172,621)	(102,237)
Depreciation and amortization									(598,178)	(522,190)	(432,904)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									1,842	928	762
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(7,960)	100,694	216,626
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									16,777
Hughes segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,716,169	1,476,131	1,389,152
Hughes segment | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									1,716,528	1,477,918	1,392,361
EBITDA									601,319	475,222	477,165
Capital expenditures									390,108	376,502	322,362
Hughes segment | Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									359	1,787	3,209
EchoStar Satellite Services segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									355,734	390,831	406,970
EchoStar Satellite Services segment | Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									358,058	392,244	407,660
EBITDA									308,058	315,285	341,516
Capital expenditures									(76,582)	20,725	58,925
EchoStar Satellite Services segment | Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									2,324	1,413	690
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									19,460	18,546	14,344
Corporate and Other | Intersegment Elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									(2,683)	(3,200)	(3,899)
Corporate and Other | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue									16,777	15,346	10,445
EBITDA									(152,708)	4,070	(67,676)
Capital expenditures									$ 164,091	$ 169,157	$ 247,223