Receivables (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Receivables [Abstract]
Potential refund if performance criteria are not met	$ 16,700,000
Period of performance criteria (in years)	15Y
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, net	397,633,000	326,543,000
Billed [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, net	106,548,000	56,035,000
Unbilled [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables, net	291,085,000	270,508,000
Period of incentive fees due (in years)	15Y
Incentive Fees Due Incrementally	$ 13,700,000	$ 14,900,000

Potential refund if performance criteria are not met.

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- Definition

Incentive fees due incrementally subject to achievement of performance criteria

+ Details

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- Definition

The period (in years) over which incentive fees on certain completed satellite contracts become incrementally due, subject to the achievement of performance criteria. These incentive fees are included in unbilled receivables as of the reporting date.

+ Details

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- Definition

The period (in years) of performance criteria for which certain satellite contracts require the company to refund cash to the customer if these criteria are not satisfied.

+ Details

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- Definition

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.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

The total amount due to the entity within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from outside sources, including trade accounts receivable, notes and loans receivable, as well as any other types of receivables, net of allowances established for the purpose of reducing such receivables to an amount that approximates their net realizable value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 4

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3,4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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