Receivables (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables	$ 495,007,000	$ 333,467,000
Period of performance criteria (in years)	15Y
Potential refund if performance criteria are not met	13,600,000
Percentage of Commercial Resupply Svcs Contract Launch Delivery	25.00%
Revenue from Commercial Resupply Svcs contract inception to date	888,000,000
Contract value of Commercial Resupply Svcs contract	1,900,000,000
Billed [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables	78,936,000	77,505,000
Unbilled [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Receivables	416,071,000	255,962,000
Incentive fees due incrementally	9,400,000	10,200,000
Period of incentive fees due (in years)	15Y
Receivables pertaining to the commercial resupply services contract	$ 255,300,000	$ 130,400,000