Marketable Investment Securities, Restricted Cash and Other Investment Securities (Details 7) (USD $) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2011 | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation and TerreStar Network | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation and TerreStar Network
15% Senior Secured Paid-in-Kind Notes due February 15, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation and TerreStar Network
February 2008 Secured Financing Commitment | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation and TerreStar Network
Debtor-In-Possession Credit Facility | Jun. 30, 2008
TerreStar Corporation
GHz | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation | Sep. 30, 2010
TerreStar Corporation | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Corporation | Sep. 30, 2010
TerreStar Corporation | Dec. 31, 2010
TerreStar Corporation | Feb. 29, 2008
TerreStar Corporation
member | Sep. 30, 2011
TerreStar Network Inc. | Dec. 31, 2010
TerreStar Network Inc. | Feb. 29, 2008
TerreStar Network Inc.
6 1/2 % Senior Exchangeable Paid-In-Kind Notes Due June 15, 2014 | Feb. 29, 2008
TerreStar Network Inc.
15% Senior Secured Paid-in-Kind Notes due February 15, 2014 | Feb. 29, 2008
TerreStar Network Inc.
February 2008 Secured Financing Commitment | Nov. 18, 2010
TerreStar Network Inc.
Debtor-In-Possession Credit Facility | Aug. 11, 2011
Gamma Acquisition L.L.C. (Gamma)
Assets purchase agreement with TerreStar Networks, Inc. (TerreStar) | Jun. 14, 2011
Gamma Acquisition L.L.C. (Gamma)
Assets purchase agreement with TerreStar Networks, Inc. (TerreStar) | |
| Marketable investment securities: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Aggregate principal amount of investment acquired | $ 50,000,000 | $ 50,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate (as a percent) | 6.50% | 15.00% | ||||||||||||||||||
| Number of board members the Company may appoint under Master Investment Agreement | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Frequency of spectrum acquired (in GHz) | 1.4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Shares of common stock issued to acquire spectrum (in shares) | 30 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Commitment under credit agreement | 50,000,000 | 90,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cash purchase price of assets | 1,375,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Purchase price prior to receipt of approvals from FCC or Canadian Department of Industry | 1,345,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Amount received related to debt investment | 567,303,000 | 552,000,000 | 419,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 85,000,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Amount received subsequently related to debt investment | 77,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Investment outstanding amount | 63,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of debt investments | 140,000,000 | 626,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fair value of equity investments | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 4,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Unrealized gains (losses) on investments accounted for at fair value, net | $ 2,000,000 | $ (21,000,000) | $ 10,000,000 | $ 23,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||