Supplemental Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Financial Information (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 28,920	$ 11,483	$ 89,994	$ 21,212
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities			465,636	348,634
Net cash flows from operating activities			555,630	369,846
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities			(1,546,479)	(170,158)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities			799,250	151,141
Expenditures for property and equipment			(286,223)	(291,975)
Refunds and other receipts related to property and equipment			77,524	0
Expenditures for externally marketed software			(24,568)	(25,447)
Payment for satellite launch services			(7,125)	0
Distributions (contributions) and advances from (to) subsidiaries, net			0	0
Other			(991)	0
Net cash flows from investing activities			(988,612)	(336,439)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions (distributions) and advances (to) from parent, net			0	0
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations			(27,764)	(25,787)
Advances from (to) affiliates, net			0	(36)
Capital contribution from EchoStar Corporation			7,125	0
Repayment of in-orbit incentive obligations			(4,048)	(4,583)
Other, net			0	1,072
Net cash flows from financing activities			(24,687)	(29,334)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			(3,350)	923
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts			(461,019)	4,996
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, beginning of period			1,823,354	2,071,687
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, end of period	1,362,335	2,076,683	1,362,335	2,076,683
Eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(54,775)	(40,125)	(173,356)	(104,423)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities			173,356	104,423
Net cash flows from operating activities			0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities			0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities			0	0
Expenditures for property and equipment			0	0
Refunds and other receipts related to property and equipment			0
Expenditures for externally marketed software			0	0
Distributions (contributions) and advances from (to) subsidiaries, net			(364,646)	91,500
Net cash flows from investing activities			(364,646)	91,500
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions (distributions) and advances (to) from parent, net			364,646	(91,500)
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations			0	0
Advances from (to) affiliates, net				0
Repayment of in-orbit incentive obligations			0	0
Other, net				0
Net cash flows from financing activities			364,646	(91,500)
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, end of period	0	0	0	0
HSS
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	28,470	10,951	88,702	20,206
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities			(201,774)	66,702
Net cash flows from operating activities			(113,072)	86,908
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities			(1,546,479)	(170,158)
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities			799,250	151,141
Expenditures for property and equipment			0	0
Refunds and other receipts related to property and equipment			0
Expenditures for externally marketed software			0	0
Distributions (contributions) and advances from (to) subsidiaries, net			397,631	(44,000)
Net cash flows from investing activities			(349,598)	(63,017)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions (distributions) and advances (to) from parent, net			0	0
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations			0	0
Advances from (to) affiliates, net				0
Capital contribution from EchoStar Corporation			7,125
Repayment of in-orbit incentive obligations			0	0
Other, net				186
Net cash flows from financing activities			7,125	186
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts			(455,545)	24,077
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, beginning of period			1,746,878	1,991,949
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, end of period	1,291,333	2,016,026	1,291,333	2,016,026
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	61,567	42,920	192,245	118,095
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities			438,805	160,917
Net cash flows from operating activities			631,050	279,012
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities			0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities			0	0
Expenditures for property and equipment			(223,484)	(243,409)
Refunds and other receipts related to property and equipment			77,524
Expenditures for externally marketed software			(24,568)	(25,447)
Distributions (contributions) and advances from (to) subsidiaries, net			(32,985)	(47,500)
Other			(991)
Net cash flows from investing activities			(204,504)	(316,356)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions (distributions) and advances (to) from parent, net			(397,631)	44,000
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations			(26,545)	(23,800)
Advances from (to) affiliates, net				0
Capital contribution from EchoStar Corporation			0
Repayment of in-orbit incentive obligations			(4,048)	(4,583)
Other, net				0
Net cash flows from financing activities			(428,224)	15,617
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts			(1,678)	(21,727)
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, beginning of period			42,373	53,905
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, end of period	40,695	32,178	40,695	32,178
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(6,342)	(2,263)	(17,597)	(12,666)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flows from operating activities			55,249	16,592
Net cash flows from operating activities			37,652	3,926
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of marketable investment securities			0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable investment securities			0	0
Expenditures for property and equipment			(62,739)	(48,566)
Refunds and other receipts related to property and equipment			0
Expenditures for externally marketed software			0	0
Payment for satellite launch services			(7,125)
Distributions (contributions) and advances from (to) subsidiaries, net			0	0
Net cash flows from investing activities			(69,864)	(48,566)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Contributions (distributions) and advances (to) from parent, net			32,985	47,500
Repayment of debt and capital lease obligations			(1,219)	(1,987)
Advances from (to) affiliates, net				(36)
Repayment of in-orbit incentive obligations			0	0
Other, net				886
Net cash flows from financing activities			31,766	46,363
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents			(3,350)	923
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts			(3,796)	2,646
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, beginning of period			34,103	25,833
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted amounts, end of period	$ 30,307	$ 28,479	$ 30,307	$ 28,479