Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) and Related Tax Effects (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 4,155,474	$ 4,177,385
Cumulative effect of adoption of the Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01			$ 25,125
Balance, January 1			4,202,510
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	1,398	8,274
Amounts reclassified to net income	(549)
Total other comprehensive income, net of tax	849	8,060
Ending balance	4,179,536	4,205,515
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(125,100)	(130,154)
Cumulative effect of adoption of the Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01			10,467
Balance, January 1			(119,687)
Total other comprehensive income, net of tax	849	8,274
Ending balance	(124,251)	(111,413)
Cumulative Foreign Currency Translation Losses
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(121,693)	(119,430)
Cumulative effect of adoption of the Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01			0
Balance, January 1			(119,430)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	911	8,806
Amounts reclassified to net income	0
Total other comprehensive income, net of tax	911	8,806
Ending balance	(120,782)	(110,624)
Unrealized Gain (Loss) On Available-For-Sale Securities
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(1,574)	(10,801)
Cumulative effect of adoption of the Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01			10,467
Balance, January 1			(334)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	3,287	(532)
Amounts reclassified to net income	(549)
Total other comprehensive income, net of tax	2,738	(532)
Ending balance	1,164	(866)
Other
AOCI Attributable to Parent, Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(1,833)	77
Cumulative effect of adoption of the Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-01			0
Balance, January 1			$ 77
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications	(2,800)	0
Amounts reclassified to net income	0
Total other comprehensive income, net of tax	(2,800)	0
Ending balance	$ (4,633)	$ 77

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AOCIAttributableToParentNetOfTaxRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) to equity or (increase) decrease to net assets, resulting from the cumulative effect adjustment of a new accounting principle applied in the period of adoption.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CumulativeEffectOfNewAccountingPrincipleInPeriodOfAdoption
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after tax, before reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109228884&loc=d3e1436-108581

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax and reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669619-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109228884&loc=d3e1436-108581

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669625-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL34724394-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109228884&loc=d3e1436-108581

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of stockholders' equity (deficit), net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity, attributable to both the parent and noncontrolling interests. Amount excludes temporary equity. Alternate caption for the concept is permanent equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 16
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4568740-111683

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 4I
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234705&loc=SL4590271-111686

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4568447-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of stockholders' equity including the portion attributable to noncontrolling interests, after the cumulative effect adjustment of a new accounting principle applied in the period of adoption.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestAdjustedBalance1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=sats_AOCIAttributableToParentOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: