Revenue Recognition - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 473,502	$ 472,262	$ 1,398,634	$ 1,387,075
Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	412,960	389,946	1,210,267	1,161,006
Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	13,572	16,591	41,665	50,985
Services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	426,532	406,537	1,251,932	1,211,991
Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	29,387	21,106	72,744	77,663
Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	16,375	42,328	70,600	93,254
Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,208	2,291	3,358	4,167
Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	46,970	65,725	146,702	175,084
North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	399,650	397,685	1,180,274	1,155,298
South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	38,618	31,853	106,727	89,354
All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	35,234	42,724	111,633	142,423
Hughes
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	466,762	463,735	1,378,416	1,360,919
ESS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,121	3,772	12,274	11,058
Operating Segments | Hughes
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	466,762	463,735	1,378,416	1,360,919
Operating Segments | Hughes | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	409,119	385,477	1,198,816	1,147,868
Operating Segments | Hughes | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	10,673	12,533	32,898	37,967
Operating Segments | Hughes | Services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	419,792	398,010	1,231,714	1,185,835
Operating Segments | Hughes | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	29,387	21,106	72,744	77,663
Operating Segments | Hughes | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	16,375	42,328	70,600	93,254
Operating Segments | Hughes | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,208	2,291	3,358	4,167
Operating Segments | Hughes | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	46,970	65,725	146,702	175,084
Operating Segments | Hughes | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	392,950	389,264	1,160,288	1,129,491
Operating Segments | Hughes | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	38,578	31,747	106,495	89,005
Operating Segments | Hughes | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	35,234	42,724	111,633	142,423
Operating Segments | ESS
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,402	4,098	13,233	11,873
Operating Segments | ESS | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,804	2,736	8,133	7,953
Operating Segments | ESS | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,598	1,362	5,100	3,920
Operating Segments | ESS | Services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,402	4,098	13,233	11,873
Operating Segments | ESS | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,402	4,098	13,233	11,873
Operating Segments | ESS | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Operating Segments | ESS | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate and Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,338	4,429	6,985	14,283
Corporate and Other | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,037	1,733	3,318	5,185
Corporate and Other | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,301	2,696	3,667	9,098
Corporate and Other | Services and other revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,338	4,429	6,985	14,283
Corporate and Other | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate and Other | Design, development and construction services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate and Other | Lease revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate and Other | Equipment revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Corporate and Other | North America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	2,298	4,323	6,753	13,934
Corporate and Other | South and Central America
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	40	106	232	349
Corporate and Other | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0