v2.3.0.15

Organization and Business Activities (Details) | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2011 year satellite customer unit month
Organization and Business Activities |
Number of business units | 3
Principal Business |
Number of owned and leased in-orbit satellites | 11
EchoStar Satellite Services Business |
Principal Business |
Number of owned and leased in-orbit satellites | 10

X
- Definition Number of owned and leased in-orbit satellites. + Details
Name: | sats_NumberOfOwnedAndLeasedInOrbitSatellites
Namespace Prefix: | sats
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Reporting segments number. + Details
Name: | sats_ReportingSegmentsNumber
Namespace Prefix: | sats
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- 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
Name: | us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration