v2.4.0.8

Stock-Based Compensation (Details 4) (LTIP 2005, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013
LTIP Terms
Awards vesting period	7 years
Percentage of awards vesting per annum during first four years	10.00%
Percentage of awards vesting per annum after first four years	20.00%
Stock-Based Compensation
Unrecognized compensation expense	$ 18,901
Unrecognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense on vested portion	18,866
DISH Network Awards | Held by EchoStar employees
Stock-Based Compensation
Unrecognized compensation expense	16,127
Unrecognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense on vested portion	16,098
EchoStar Awards | Held by EchoStar employees
Stock-Based Compensation
Unrecognized compensation expense	2,774
Unrecognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense on vested portion	$ 2,768

X

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award percentage awards vested per year after first four years.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sats_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPercentageAwardsVestedPerYearAfterFirstFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	sats_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award percentage awards vested per year during first four years.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sats_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPercentageAwardsVestedPerYearDuringFirstFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	sats_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	sats_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTermsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	sats_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Unrecognized non-cash stock-based compensation expense on vested portion.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sats_UnrecognizedNonCashStockBasedCompensationExpenseOnVestedPortion
Namespace Prefix:	sats_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAggregateDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Unrecognized cost of unvested share-based compensation awards.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration