Name:	sats_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesAfterNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount before tax of unrealized gain in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in equity securities classified as available-for-sale.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Amount before tax of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in equity securities classified as available-for-sale.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

This item represents the cost of equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments for other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleEquitySecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), with single maturity date and allocated without single maturity date, maturing in next rolling fiscal year following latest fiscal year. For interim and annual periods when interim period is reported on rolling approach, from latest statement of financial position date.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Amount of investments in equity securities and other forms of securities that provide ownership interests classified as available-for-sale, expected to be converted to cash, sold or exchanged within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecuritiesCurrent
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Amount of realized gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27357-111563

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLoss
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Amount of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377092&loc=SL75136599-209740

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Period Type:	instant

Amount of realized gain (loss) from sale of investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 321
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116654751&loc=SL75117546-209714

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNiRealizedGainLoss
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Fair value portion of investment securities, including, but not limited to, marketable securities, derivative financial instruments, and investments accounted for under the equity method.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117815213&loc=d3e19207-110258

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt securities, and OTTI losses on debt securities when the entity intends to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this item includes OTTI losses recognized during the period on investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting.

No definition available.

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

Amount of cash inflow from sale of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118954083&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3151-108585

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

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

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Fair value of investments in trading equity securities and other forms of trading securities that provide ownership interests.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesEquity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of unrealized holding gain (loss) recognized in the income statement for investments in debt and equity securities and other forms of securities that provide ownership interests classified as trading.

No definition available.

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

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of investments, not including unrealized gains or losses on securities separately or otherwise categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity, held at each balance sheet date and included in earnings for the period.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
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