$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

$irdm Overview Financials Valuation SEC Filings Company Website

2013 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000114420415012061 Filed on February 26, 2015

Income Statement

Concept	2013 Q4	2013 Q3	2013 Q2
Revenue	$98.21M	$100.6M	$94.68M
YoY Change	6.42%	0.13%	-2.71%
Cost Of Revenue	$28.40M	$14.78M	$14.21M
YoY Change	11.81%	-47.6%	-11.15%
Gross Profit	$69.80M	$85.79M	$80.48M
YoY Change	4.33%	18.83%	-1.05%
Gross Profit Margin	71.07%	85.31%	85.0%
Selling, General & Admin	$20.20M	$18.29M	$18.40M
YoY Change	34.67%	10.85%	2.39%
% of Gross Profit	28.94%	21.32%	22.86%
Research & Development	$4.600M	$3.125M	$1.741M
YoY Change	64.29%	-13.19%	-49.23%
% of Gross Profit	6.59%	3.64%	2.16%
Depreciation & Amortization	$75.00M	$19.38M	$18.60M
YoY Change	-7.52%	-5.48%	1.25%
% of Gross Profit	107.45%	22.59%	23.11%
Operating Expenses	$43.60M	$71.12M	$65.84M
YoY Change	21.45%	75.17%	-4.65%
Operating Profit	$26.26M	$29.45M	$28.85M
YoY Change	-15.37%	-7.06%	2.03%
Interest Expense	$400.0K	$600.0K	$600.0K
YoY Change	-20.0%	100.0%	500.0%
% of Operating Profit	1.52%	2.04%	2.08%
Other Income/Expense, Net	$7.700M	-$2.430M	-$2.248M
YoY Change	-333.33%	-2.8%	-9.79%
Pretax Income	$34.40M	$27.02M	$26.60M
YoY Change	21.99%	-8.4%	3.17%
Income Tax	$18.80M	$10.44M	$11.19M
% Of Pretax Income	54.65%	38.62%	42.06%
Net Earnings	$15.59M	$16.59M	$15.41M
YoY Change	-6.74%	-7.03%	-12.74%
Net Earnings / Revenue	15.87%	16.49%	16.28%
Basic Earnings Per Share	$0.18	$0.19	$0.18
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$0.18	$0.19	$0.18
COMMON SHARES
Basic Shares Outstanding	76.66M shares	76.96M shares	76.90M shares
Diluted Shares Outstanding		87.59M shares	87.53M shares

Balance Sheet

Concept	2013 Q4	2013 Q3	2013 Q2
SHORT-TERM ASSETS
Cash & Short-Term Investments	$263.0M	$270.3M	$275.7M
YoY Change	3.37%	42.73%	65.39%
Cash & Equivalents	$186.3M	$197.0M	$196.8M
Short-Term Investments	$76.65M	$73.33M	$91.40M
Other Short-Term Assets	$22.30M	$14.50M	$15.00M
YoY Change	-14.23%	-3.33%	-4.46%
Inventory	$29.53M	$28.19M	$28.90M
Prepaid Expenses
Receivables	$54.76M	$64.55M	$55.10M
Other Receivables	$0.00	$900.0K	$1.300M
Total Short-Term Assets	$369.6M	$378.5M	$376.0M
YoY Change	0.65%	31.51%	42.05%
LONG-TERM ASSETS
Property, Plant & Equipment	$1.576B	$1.451B	$1.346B
YoY Change	30.14%	43.64%	33.4%
Goodwill	$87.04M	$87.04M
YoY Change	0.0%
Intangibles	$57.45M	$60.72M
YoY Change	-18.51%
Long-Term Investments
YoY Change
Other Assets	$8.909M	$7.708M	$202.0M
YoY Change	205.94%	-95.47%	29.9%
Total Long-Term Assets	$1.940B	$1.815B	$1.699B
YoY Change	25.24%	35.34%	27.89%
TOTAL ASSETS
Total Short-Term Assets	$369.6M	$378.5M	$376.0M
Total Long-Term Assets	$1.940B	$1.815B	$1.699B
Total Assets	$2.310B	$2.194B	$2.075B
YoY Change	20.53%	34.66%	30.24%
SHORT-TERM LIABILITIES
YoY Change
Accounts Payable	$12.93M	$9.156M	$14.90M
YoY Change	-6.51%	-33.65%	-69.15%
Accrued Expenses	$47.20M	$56.90M	$42.10M
YoY Change	47.04%	31.11%	17.27%
Deferred Revenue
YoY Change
Short-Term Debt	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
YoY Change
Long-Term Debt Due
YoY Change
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$101.5M	$110.3M	$101.1M
YoY Change	14.49%	12.07%	-17.78%
LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
Long-Term Debt	$1.039B	$936.3M	$853.6M
YoY Change	38.23%	58.99%	50.28%
Other Long-Term Liabilities	$3.385M	$20.43M	$20.60M
YoY Change	-75.46%	-36.35%	-36.42%
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$3.385M	$20.43M	$20.60M
YoY Change	-75.46%	-96.71%	-96.57%
TOTAL LIABILITIES
Total Short-Term Liabilities	$101.5M	$110.3M	$101.1M
Total Long-Term Liabilities	$3.385M	$20.43M	$20.60M
Total Liabilities	$1.370B	$1.269B	$1.167B
YoY Change	31.79%	46.8%	36.07%
SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY
Retained Earnings	$138.8M	$125.0M	$110.2M
YoY Change	66.62%
Common Stock	$77.00K	$77.00K	$77.00K
YoY Change	1.32%
Preferred Stock
YoY Change
Treasury Stock (at cost)
YoY Change
Treasury Stock Shares
Shareholders Equity	$939.5M	$925.2M	$907.6M
YoY Change
Total Liabilities & Shareholders Equity	$2.310B	$2.194B	$2.075B
YoY Change	20.53%	34.66%	30.24%

Cashflow Statement

Concept	2013 Q4	2013 Q3	2013 Q2
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Income	$15.59M	$16.59M	$15.41M
YoY Change	-6.74%	-7.03%	-12.74%
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization	$75.00M	$19.38M	$18.60M
YoY Change	-7.52%	-5.48%	1.25%
Cash From Operating Activities	$38.70M	$44.00M	$43.10M
YoY Change	-6.3%	1.62%	-18.68%
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	-$140.1M	-$111.7M	-$132.5M
YoY Change	-36.43%	222.83%	-12.77%
Acquisitions
YoY Change
Other Investing Activities	-$3.400M	$5.500M	-$12.70M
YoY Change	78.95%
Cash From Investing Activities	-$143.5M	-$106.2M	-$145.2M
YoY Change	-35.42%	206.94%	-4.41%
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash Dividend Paid
YoY Change
Common Stock Issuance & Retirement, Net
YoY Change
Debt Paid & Issued, Net
YoY Change
Cash From Financing Activities	94.10M	62.30M	93.70M
YoY Change	-61.73%	341.84%	-20.99%
NET CHANGE
Cash From Operating Activities	38.70M	44.00M	43.10M
Cash From Investing Activities	-143.5M	-106.2M	-145.2M
Cash From Financing Activities	94.10M	62.30M	93.70M
Net Change In Cash	-10.70M	100.0K	-8.400M
YoY Change	-116.46%	-99.56%	-142.64%
FREE CASH FLOW
Cash From Operating Activities	$38.70M	$44.00M	$43.10M
Capital Expenditures	-$140.1M	-$111.7M	-$132.5M
Free Cash Flow	$178.8M	$155.7M	$175.6M
YoY Change	-31.68%	99.87%	-14.3%

Facts In Submission

Frame	Concept Type	Concept / XBRL Key	Value	Unit
CY2013	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Reductions Resulting From Lapse Of Applicable Statute Of Limitations UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations	207000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesCurrent	261136000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Accrued Satellite Operations And Maintenance Expense Noncurrent AccruedSatelliteOperationsAndMaintenanceExpenseNoncurrent	16389000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Current LiabilitiesCurrent	102350000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	186342000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	211249000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Current AvailableForSaleSecuritiesCurrent	76647000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	54758000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Receivable Net Current AccountsReceivableNetCurrent	50672000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	29532000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Inventory Net InventoryNet	28433000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net Current DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	9076000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net Current DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	11009000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent	13203000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Prepaid Expense And Other Assets Current PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent	10614000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Assets Current AssetsCurrent	369558000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Assets Current AssetsCurrent	573113000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	1575579000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Net PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	1971839000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	81223000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Restricted Cash And Cash Equivalents Noncurrent RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsNoncurrent	86104000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Noncurrent OtherAssetsNoncurrent	8909000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Other Assets Noncurrent OtherAssetsNoncurrent	7726000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	57452000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Net Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill	47416000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Finance Costs Noncurrent Net DeferredFinanceCostsNoncurrentNet	130036000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Finance Costs Noncurrent Net DeferredFinanceCostsNoncurrentNet	136444000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	87039000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Goodwill Goodwill	87039000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Assets Assets	2309796000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Assets Assets	2909681000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Payable Current AccountsPayableCurrent	12934000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Accounts Payable Current AccountsPayableCurrent	17677000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Accrued Expenses And Other Current Liabilities AccruedExpensesAndOtherCurrentLiabilities	39209000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Accrued Expenses And Other Current Liabilities AccruedExpensesAndOtherCurrentLiabilities	38419000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Interest Payable Current InterestPayableCurrent	7989000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Interest Payable Current InterestPayableCurrent	9589000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Current DeferredRevenueCurrent	41367000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Current DeferredRevenueCurrent	36665000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Current LiabilitiesCurrent	101499000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	1231864000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Accrued Satellite Operations And Maintenance Expense Noncurrent AccruedSatelliteOperationsAndMaintenanceExpenseNoncurrent	15051000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Line Of Credit LongTermLineOfCredit	1039203000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Long Term Line Of Credit LongTermLineOfCredit	1291401000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent	202825000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent	245042000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Noncurrent OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	3385000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Other Liabilities Noncurrent OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent	3284000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Liabilities	1370301000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities Liabilities	1677817000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Commitments And Contingencies CommitmentsAndContingencies		USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Commitments And Contingencies CommitmentsAndContingencies		USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Value CommonStockValue	77000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Value CommonStockValue	94000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Additional Paid In Capital AdditionalPaidInCapital	801262000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Additional Paid In Capital AdditionalPaidInCapital	1033176000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Retained Earnings Accumulated Deficit RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit	138845000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Retained Earnings Accumulated Deficit RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit	201514000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax	-689000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss Net Of Tax AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax	-2920000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	939495000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities And Stockholders Equity LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity	2309796000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Liabilities And Stockholders Equity LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity	2909681000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Use Of Estimates UseOfEstimates	<div style="MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif "> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> </div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> <strong><i>Use of Estimates</i></strong></div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">  </div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.</div> </div><table border="0" style="width:100%; table-layout:fixed;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td></td></tr></table>
CY2014	us-gaap	Concentration Risk Credit Risk ConcentrationRiskCreditRisk	<div style="MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif "> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> </div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> <strong><i><font style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> </font>Concentrations of Credit Risk</i></strong></div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif">  </div> <div style="CLEAR:both; FONT-FAMILY:Times New Roman;FONT-SIZE: 10pt;MARGIN: 0pt 0px; FONT: 10pt Times New Roman, Times, Serif"> Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, and receivables. The majority of cash is swept nightly into a money market fund invested in U.S. treasuries, Agency Mortgage Backed Securities and/or U.S. Government guaranteed debt. While the Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions with high credit ratings, it often maintains those deposits in federally insured financial institutions in excess of federally insured (FDIC) limits. The Company’s marketable securities are highly-rated corporate and foreign fixed-income debt securities and commercial paper with an original maturity in excess of ninety days. The Company performs credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and records reserves to provide for estimated credit losses. Accounts receivable are due from both domestic and international customers.</div> </div><table border="0" style="width:100%; table-layout:fixed;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td></td></tr></table>
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.001
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	76690000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Issued CommonStockSharesIssued	93905000	shares
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	76690000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Outstanding CommonStockSharesOutstanding	93905000	shares
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	300000000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Common Stock Shares Authorized CommonStockSharesAuthorized	300000000	shares
CY2012	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	29305000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	52136000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Interest Costs Capitalized InterestCostsCapitalized	62019000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	114000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	583000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Interest Expense InterestExpense	954000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	29419000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	52719000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Interest Costs Incurred InterestCostsIncurred	62973000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Share Based Compensation Expensed And Capitalized ShareBasedCompensationExpensedAndCapitalized	7749000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Share Based Compensation Expensed And Capitalized ShareBasedCompensationExpensedAndCapitalized	10860000	USD
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual ProductWarrantyAccrual	4050000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual ProductWarrantyAccrual	8853000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Warranties Issued ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued	11690000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Warranties Issued ProductWarrantyAccrualWarrantiesIssued	6390000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Payments ProductWarrantyAccrualPayments	6887000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual Payments ProductWarrantyAccrualPayments	7862000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Product Warranty Accrual ProductWarrantyAccrual	7381000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Decrease In Warranty Provision DecreaseInWarrantyProvision	5300000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	500000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Allowance For Doubtful Accounts Receivable Current AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent	900000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Tangible Asset Impairment Charges TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges	2000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Tangible Asset Impairment Charges TangibleAssetImpairmentCharges	2200000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Depreciation Impact Change Of Accounting Estimate DepreciationImpactChangeOfAccountingEstimate	19600000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Depreciation Impact Change Of Accounting Estimate DepreciationImpactChangeOfAccountingEstimate	3800000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Impact Of Change In Accounting Estimate On Basic Earnings Per Share ImpactOfChangeInAccountingEstimateOnBasicEarningsPerShare	0.17
CY2014	irdm	Impact Of Change In Accounting Estimate On Basic Earnings Per Share ImpactOfChangeInAccountingEstimateOnBasicEarningsPerShare	0.03
CY2012	irdm	Impact Of Change In Accounting Estimate On Diluted Earnings Per Share ImpactOfChangeInAccountingEstimateOnDilutedEarningsPerShare	0.16
CY2013	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Services Net SalesRevenueServicesNet	292092000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Goods Net SalesRevenueGoodsNet	93866000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Impact Of Change In Accounting Estimate On Diluted Earnings Per Share ImpactOfChangeInAccountingEstimateOnDilutedEarningsPerShare	0.02
CY2014Q4	irdm	De Orbit Insurance Coverage DeOrbitInsuranceCoverage	2500000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Standard Product Warranty Description StandardProductWarrantyDescription	The Company provides the first end-user purchaser of its subscriber equipment a warranty for one to five years from the date of purchase by such first end-user, depending on the product
CY2014	irdm	Cash Flow Projections Discount Rate CashFlowProjectionsDiscountRate	0.120	pure
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash	86074000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Cash Cash	86792000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Services Net SalesRevenueServicesNet	273491000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Maximum De Orbit Asset Retirement Obligation MaximumDeOrbitAssetRetirementObligation	18000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Services Net SalesRevenueServicesNet	309424000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Goods Net SalesRevenueGoodsNet	73303000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Goods Net SalesRevenueGoodsNet	78152000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Contracts Revenue ContractsRevenue	16163000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Contracts Revenue ContractsRevenue	17254000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Contracts Revenue ContractsRevenue	20981000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Asset Retirement Obligation AssetRetirementObligation	200000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	500000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	500000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Advertising Expense AdvertisingExpense	500000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	1500000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Asset Impairment Charges AssetImpairmentCharges	900000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Us Government Contract Future Minimum Payments Receivable Year One UsGovernmentContractFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableYearOne	64000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Us Government Contract Future Minimum Payments Receivable Year Two UsGovernmentContractFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableYearTwo	72000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Us Government Contract Future Minimum Payments Receivable Year Three UsGovernmentContractFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableYearThree	88000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Us Government Contract Future Minimum Payments Receivable Year Four UsGovernmentContractFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableYearFour	88000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Us Government Contract Future Minimum Payments Receivable Year Five UsGovernmentContractFutureMinimumPaymentsReceivableYearFive	88000000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing Capacity LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity	1800000000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	383520000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	382649000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	408557000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Cost Of Services Excluding Depreciation Depletion And Amortization CostOfServicesExcludingDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	60937000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Cost Of Services Excluding Depreciation Depletion And Amortization CostOfServicesExcludingDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	59346000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Cost Of Services Excluding Depreciation Depletion And Amortization CostOfServicesExcludingDepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	62085000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Cost Of Goods Sold CostOfGoodsSold	53285000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Cost Of Goods Sold CostOfGoodsSold	52062000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Cost Of Goods Sold CostOfGoodsSold	54569000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	15525000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	11149000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Research And Development Expense ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	17587000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	67589000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	75218000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Selling General And Administrative Expense SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpense	78636000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	81110000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	74980000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Depreciation Depletion And Amortization DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization	72769000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	278446000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	272755000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Operating Expenses OperatingExpenses	285646000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	105074000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	109894000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	122911000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Net InterestIncomeExpenseNet	1072000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Net InterestIncomeExpenseNet	2276000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	1259000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Interest Income Expense Net InterestIncomeExpenseNet	3640000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Amount LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount	10232000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Amount LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount	7708000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Amount LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount	5825000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-896000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	6003000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Other Nonoperating Income Expense OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	-4274000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Nonoperating Income Expense NonoperatingIncomeExpense	-10056000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Nonoperating Income Expense NonoperatingIncomeExpense	571000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Nonoperating Income Expense NonoperatingIncomeExpense	-6459000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	95018000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	110465000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Extraordinary Items Noncontrolling Interest IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest	116452000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	30387000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	47948000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Expense Benefit IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	41463000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	64631000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	62517000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	74989000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	62939000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	55517000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Basic NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersBasic	62669000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	74239000	shares
CY2013	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	76909000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Shares Outstanding Basic WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic	88080000	shares
CY2012	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	78182000	shares
CY2013	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	87511000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Weighted Average Number Of Diluted Shares Outstanding WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding	109400000	shares
CY2012	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.85
CY2013	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.72
CY2014	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.71
CY2012	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.83
CY2013	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.71
CY2014	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.69
CY2012	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-132000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-322000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Portion Attributable To Parent OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	-2325000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	-10000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Available For Sale Securities Adjustment Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax	94000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	64499000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	62185000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	72758000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsAmortizedCostBasis	25527000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsAmortizedCostBasis	177011000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling After One Year Within Three Years Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterOneYearWithinThreeYearsAmortizedCostBasis	51136000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling After One Year Within Three Years Amortized Cost Basis AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterOneYearWithinThreeYearsAmortizedCostBasis	83991000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue	25527000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Next Rolling Twelve Months Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue	177145000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling After One Year Within Three Years Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterOneYearWithinThreeYearsFairValue	51120000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Available For Sale Securities Debt Maturities Rolling After One Year Within Three Years Fair Value AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterOneYearWithinThreeYearsFairValue	83991000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost	76663000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost	261002000	USD
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Issued PreferredStockSharesIssued	500000	shares
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Issued PreferredStockSharesIssued	1000000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Liquidation Preference PreferredStockLiquidationPreference	100
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Land Land	8037000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Land Land	8037000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Par Or Stated Value Per Share PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare	0.0001
CY2014Q4	irdm	Long Term Minimum Debt Service Reserve Required To Maintain In Next Twelve Months LongTermMinimumDebtServiceReserveRequiredToMaintainInNextTwelveMonths	91000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Long Term Minimum Debt Service Reserve Required To Maintain In Next Two Years LongTermMinimumDebtServiceReserveRequiredToMaintainInNextTwoYears	113000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Long Term Minimum Debt Service Reserve Required To Maintain In Next Three Years LongTermMinimumDebtServiceReserveRequiredToMaintainInNextThreeYears	189000000	USD
CY2010Q4	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Maximum Borrowing Capacity LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity	1800000000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Increase Accrued Interest LineOfCreditFacilityIncreaseAccruedInterest	25500000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Interest Incurred Deemed Loan InterestIncurredDeemedLoan	17800000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Percentage Of Additional Amount Drawn To Cover Policy Premium PercentageOfAdditionalAmountDrawnToCoverPolicyPremium	0.0649	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Commitment Fee Percentage LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage	0.0080	pure
CY2014	irdm	Percentage Of Costs Under Development Contract PercentageOfCostsUnderDevelopmentContract	0.85	pure
CY2014Q4	irdm	Minimum Required Cash Reserve Balance For Credit Facility MinimumRequiredCashReserveBalanceForCreditFacility	86000000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Minimum Cash Balance Under Line Of Credit MinimumCashBalanceUnderLineOfCredit	25000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Covenant Terms LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantTerms	a debt-to-equity ratio, which is calculated as the ratio of total net debt to the aggregate of total net debt and total stockholders’ equity, of no more than 0.7 to 1, measured each June 30 and December 31;specified maximum levels of annual capital expenditures (excluding expenditures on the construction of Iridium NEXT satellites) through the year ending December 31, 2024;specified minimum levels of consolidated operational earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or operational EBITDA, for the 12-month periods ending each December 31 and June 30 through December 31, 2017;specified minimum cash flow requirements from customers who have hosted payloads on our satellites during the 12-month periods ending each December 31 and June 30, beginning June 30, 2016 and ending on December 31, 2017;a debt service coverage ratio, measured during the repayment period, of not less than 1 to 1.5; and specified maximum leverage levels during the repayment period that decline from a ratio of 4.73 to 1 for the twelve months ending June 30, 2018 to a ratio of 2.36 to 1 for the twelve months ending December 31, 2024.
CY2014Q4	irdm	Available Cash Balance As Defined Under Line Of Credit AvailableCashBalanceAsDefinedUnderLineOfCredit	290200000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Available Cure Balance As Defined Under Line Of Credit AvailableCureBalanceAsDefinedUnderLineOfCredit	7500000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Satellite Operations And Maintenance Costs SatelliteOperationsAndMaintenanceCosts	31900000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Satellite Operations And Maintenance Costs SatelliteOperationsAndMaintenanceCosts	30100000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Satellite Operations And Maintenance Costs SatelliteOperationsAndMaintenanceCosts	30700000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	500147000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Property Plant And Equipment Gross PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross	517319000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	296716000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Accumulated Depreciation Depletion And Amortization Property Plant And Equipment AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment	339155000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Property Plant And Equipment Net Excluding Construction In Process And Land PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNetExcludingConstructionInProcessAndLand	203431000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Property Plant And Equipment Net Excluding Construction In Process And Land PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNetExcludingConstructionInProcessAndLand	178164000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Construction In Progress Gross ConstructionInProgressGross	1341148000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Construction In Progress Gross ConstructionInProgressGross	1755974000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process OtherConstructionInProcess	22963000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Other Construction In Process OtherConstructionInProcess	29664000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	68100000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	62000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Depreciation Depreciation	62700000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Gross IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillGross	35225000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Gross IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillGross	35225000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	0	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	0	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill	35225000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	76713000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Gross FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	76713000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	111938000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Intangible Assets Gross Excluding Goodwill IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill	111938000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	54486000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Accumulated Amortization FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	64522000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Accumulated Amortization IntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillAccumulatedAmortization	54486000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Intangible Assets Excluding Goodwill Accumulated Amortization IntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwillAccumulatedAmortization	64522000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	22227000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Net FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	12191000	USD
CY2011Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	702018000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	8150000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	7749000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Construction In Progress Funded By Credit Facility ConstructionInProgressFundedByCreditFacility	1129800000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum	0.42	pure
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue	21564000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Lease Extended Period LeaseExtendedPeriod	2024
CY2012	us-gaap	Lease And Rental Expense LeaseAndRentalExpense	3200000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Lease And Rental Expense LeaseAndRentalExpense	3200000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Lease And Rental Expense LeaseAndRentalExpense	3300000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Sharebased Compensation Requisite Service Period Recognition Value AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	10860000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value New Issues StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueNewIssues	96499000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Stock Issued Upon Exercise Of Warrants StockIssuedUponExerciseOfWarrants	9114000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Stock Issued Upon Exercise Of Warrants StockIssuedUponExerciseOfWarrants	4000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Stock Issued During Period Value Exchange Of Warrants StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueExchangeOfWarrants	-2073000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	26000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	87000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Unrealized Holding Gain Loss On Securities Arising During Period Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax	-10000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Unrealized Holding Gain Loss On Securities Arising During Period Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax	94000	USD
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Stockholders Equity StockholdersEquity	876558000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Next Twelve Months FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseNextTwelveMonths	995000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Two FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearTwo	995000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Three FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearThree	995000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Four FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFour	995000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseYearFive	995000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense After Year Five FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAmortizationExpenseAfterYearFive	7216000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Finite Lived Intangible Assets Total Amortization Expense FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsTotalAmortizationExpense	12191000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Intellectual Property Useful Life IntellectualPropertyUsefulLife	P16Y6M
CY2014	us-gaap	Acquired Finite Lived Intangible Assets Weighted Average Useful Life AcquiredFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsWeightedAverageUsefulLife	P7Y6M
CY2012	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	13000000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	13000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Amortization Of Intangible Assets AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets	10000000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Current OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent	3051000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Two Years OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears	2782000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Three Years OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears	2890000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Four Years OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears	2972000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due In Five Years OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears	3055000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Leases Future Minimum Payments Due Thereafter OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter	6814000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum	0.41	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMinimum	0.41	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMaximum	0.45	pure
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMaximum	0.42	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Volatility Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateMaximum	0.43	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Dividend Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0	pure
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Dividend Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Expected Dividend Rate ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate	0	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum	0.0078	pure
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum	0.0058	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Minimum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMinimum	0.0110	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum	0.0117	pure
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum	0.0193	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions Risk Free Interest Rate Maximum ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateMaximum	0.0235	pure
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	6183000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Gross ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross	1163000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod	414000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Shares Stock Options Exercised StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised	189000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod	72000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	6.85
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Expirations In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.36
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercises In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	7.98
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber	6671000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber	4626000	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Number ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingNumber	6634000	shares
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	7.89
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-826000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-3332000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangements By Share Based Payment Award Options Forfeitures In Period Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice	7.11
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	7.68
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice	8.05
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	2.97
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Nonvested Awards Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized	5100000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Inventory Write Down InventoryWriteDown	1479000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Inventory Write Down InventoryWriteDown	931000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Weighted Average Exercise Price ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice	7.69
CY2014	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term2 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2	P6Y10M24D
CY2014	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1	P6Y2M16D
CY2014	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Outstanding Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1	P6Y10M2D
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Outstanding Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue	13783000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Exercisable Intrinsic Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1	7856000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vested And Expected To Vest Exercisable Aggregate Intrinsic Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestExercisableAggregateIntrinsicValue	13674000	USD
	irdm	Quarterly Vesting Percentage QuarterlyVestingPercentage	0.33	pure
CY2014	irdm	Quarterly Vesting Percentage QuarterlyVestingPercentage	0.34	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	6000000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	6000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Allocated Share Based Compensation Expense AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense	4300000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	3.31
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Grants In Period Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue	2.60
CY2014	us-gaap	Employee Service Share Based Compensation Nonvested Awards Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized Period For Recognition1 EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognizedPeriodForRecognition1	P2Y4M24D
CY2012	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	6700000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	6300000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Options Vested In Period Fair Value1 SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedInPeriodFairValue1	4600000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Restricted Stock Expense RestrictedStockExpense	2100000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Restricted Stock Expense RestrictedStockExpense	1700000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Restricted Stock Expense RestrictedStockExpense	6500000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	29549000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	47095000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	40226000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	7332000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	6715000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Share Based Compensation ShareBasedCompensation	9601000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Provision For Doubtful Accounts ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	722000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Provision For Doubtful Accounts ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	-525000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Provision For Doubtful Accounts ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	13000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Inventory Write Down InventoryWriteDown	0	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Loss From Equity Method Investments IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	-4130000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Amortization Of Debt Discount Premium AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Amortization Of Debt Discount Premium AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium	546000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Amortization Of Debt Discount Premium AmortizationOfDebtDiscountPremium	709000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Marketable Securities Realized Gain Loss Excluding Other Than Temporary Impairments MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Marketable Securities Realized Gain Loss Excluding Other Than Temporary Impairments MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments	-82000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Marketable Securities Realized Gain Loss Excluding Other Than Temporary Impairments MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-561000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-1901000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsReceivable	-3855000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	11199000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	4633000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Inventories IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	-251000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	200000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	7684000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Prepaid Deferred Expense And Other Assets IncreaseDecreaseInPrepaidDeferredExpenseAndOtherAssets	-1520000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable	-28000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable	-3617000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Income Taxes Receivable IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable	-679000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	-364000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	4328000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Assets IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentAssets	2926000	USD
CY2011Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	136366000	USD
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents At Carrying Value CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue	254418000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	6971000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	11255000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	464000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-5603000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accounts Payable IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable	-2636000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	-6400000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	9694000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Accrued Liabilities And Other Operating Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedLiabilitiesAndOtherOperatingLiabilities	634000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	7310000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	5612000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Deferred Revenue IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredRevenue	10603000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Increase Decreasee In Accrued Satellite And Network Operation Expense Net Of Current Portion IncreaseDecreaseeInAccruedSatelliteAndNetworkOperationExpenseNetOfCurrentPortion	-1338000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Increase Decreasee In Accrued Satellite And Network Operation Expense Net Of Current Portion IncreaseDecreaseeInAccruedSatelliteAndNetworkOperationExpenseNetOfCurrentPortion	-1338000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Increase Decreasee In Accrued Satellite And Network Operation Expense Net Of Current Portion IncreaseDecreaseeInAccruedSatelliteAndNetworkOperationExpenseNetOfCurrentPortion	-1338000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	263000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-10411000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Increase Decrease In Other Noncurrent Liabilities IncreaseDecreaseInOtherNoncurrentLiabilities	-100000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesContinuingOperations	174023000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesContinuingOperations	183048000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesContinuingOperations	214872000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	441654000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	403547000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Property Plant And Equipment PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment	441065000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecurities	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecurities	126408000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Available For Sale Securities PaymentsToAcquireAvailableForSaleSecurities	275819000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	49119000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Proceeds From Sale And Maturity Of Available For Sale Securities ProceedsFromSaleAndMaturityOfAvailableForSaleSecurities	90630000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Equity Method Investments PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments	1888000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Equity Method Investments PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments	5000000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Payments To Acquire Equity Method Investments PaymentsToAcquireEquityMethodInvestments	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesContinuingOperations	-443542000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesContinuingOperations	-485836000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Investing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesContinuingOperations	-626254000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Proceeds From Lines Of Credit ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	334654000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Proceeds From Lines Of Credit ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	287416000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Proceeds From Lines Of Credit ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit	252198000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	22168000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	18716000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Payments Of Financing Costs PaymentsOfFinancingCosts	17580000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	9114000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	3000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Proceeds From Warrant Exercises ProceedsFromWarrantExercises	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	43000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	25000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Proceeds From Stock Options Exercised ProceedsFromStockOptionsExercised	1508000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Payments Related To Tax Withholding For Share Based Compensation PaymentsRelatedToTaxWithholdingForShareBasedCompensation	0	USD
CY2012	irdm	Payment Of Warrant Conversion Costs PaymentOfWarrantConversionCosts	2073000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Payment Of Warrant Conversion Costs PaymentOfWarrantConversionCosts	0	USD
CY2014	irdm	Payment Of Warrant Conversion Costs PaymentOfWarrantConversionCosts	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesContinuingOperations	387571000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesContinuingOperations	234712000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Cash Provided By Used In Financing Activities Continuing Operations NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesContinuingOperations	438844000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease	118052000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease	-68076000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Cash And Cash Equivalents Period Increase Decrease CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease	24907000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	10690000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	16566000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Interest Capitalized But Not Paid InterestCapitalizedButNotPaid	5359000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Interest Capitalized But Not Paid InterestCapitalizedButNotPaid	7989000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Interest Capitalized But Not Paid InterestCapitalizedButNotPaid	9589000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Capitalized Paid In Kind Interest CapitalizedPaidInKindInterest	16059000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Capitalized Paid In Kind Interest CapitalizedPaidInKindInterest	25715000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Interest Paid InterestPaid	15009000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	348000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	-2920000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Taxes Paid Net IncomeTaxesPaidNet	184000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Capital Expenditures Incurred But Not Yet Paid CapitalExpendituresIncurredButNotYetPaid	3516000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Capitalized Paid In Kind Interest CapitalizedPaidInKindInterest	34147000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	3896000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	12475000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Capitalized Amortization Of Deferred Financing Costs CapitalizedAmortizationOfDeferredFinancingCosts	11174000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Stock Based Compensation Capitalized StockBasedCompensationCapitalized	819000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Stock Based Compensation Capitalized StockBasedCompensationCapitalized	1034000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Stock Based Compensation Capitalized StockBasedCompensationCapitalized	1259000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Contribution Of Fixed Assets To Equity Method Investment ContributionOfFixedAssetsToEquityMethodInvestment	1353000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Contribution Of Fixed Assets To Equity Method Investment ContributionOfFixedAssetsToEquityMethodInvestment	0	USD
CY2014	irdm	Contribution Of Fixed Assets To Equity Method Investment ContributionOfFixedAssetsToEquityMethodInvestment	0	USD
CY2014	irdm	Defined Contribution Plan Employee Matching Contribution Annual Vesting Percentage DefinedContributionPlanEmployeeMatchingContributionAnnualVestingPercentage	1	pure
CY2014	irdm	Maximum Employee Contribution Percentage MaximumEmployeeContributionPercentage	1	pure
CY2014	irdm	Maximum Deferral Contribution Percentage MaximumDeferralContributionPercentage	0.05	pure
CY2012	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	1200000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	1200000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Defined Contribution Plan Employer Discretionary Contribution Amount DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount	1300000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	94719000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	111685000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Domestic IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic	115858000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	299000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	-1220000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Loss From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes Foreign IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign	594000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-47000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	-12000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Current Federal Tax Expense Benefit CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit	50000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	96000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	7000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Current State And Local Tax Expense Benefit CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit	-90000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	849000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	723000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Current Foreign Tax Expense Benefit CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit	1260000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	898000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	718000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Current Income Tax Expense Benefit CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	1220000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	30014000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	39041000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	40155000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-610000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	8240000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Deferred State And Local Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-77000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	85000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	-51000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Reconciling Items IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems	866000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	9048000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	4991000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense Benefit DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	165000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	29489000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	47230000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Deferred Income Tax Provision DeferredIncomeTaxProvision	40243000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	33256000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	38668000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Expense Benefit At Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate	40766000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation State And Local Income Taxes IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes	3837000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationStateTaxValuationAllowance	1943000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationStateTaxValuationAllowance	3151000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation State Tax Valuation Allowance IncomeTaxReconciliationStateTaxValuationAllowance	380000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Arizona Tax Law Change IncomeTaxReconciliationArizonaTaxLawChange	-9524000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Arizona Tax Law Change IncomeTaxReconciliationArizonaTaxLawChange	-3975000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Income Tax Reconciliation Arizona Tax Law Change IncomeTaxReconciliationArizonaTaxLawChange	-5525000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	414000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	1185000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Nondeductible Expense Other IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseOther	903000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Contingencies IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies	-45000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Contingencies IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies	-146000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Tax Contingencies IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingencies	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	223000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	-849000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Adjustments IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments	-994000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Reconciling Items IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems	283000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Income Tax Reconciliation Other Reconciling Items IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems	942000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Assets Long Term Contracts DeferredTaxAssetsLongTermContracts	33988000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Assets Long Term Contracts DeferredTaxAssetsLongTermContracts	49207000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Deferred Income DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	4086000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Deferred Income DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	6357000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	133190000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Operating Loss Carryforwards DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards	133021000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Other DeferredTaxAssetsOther	21571000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Other DeferredTaxAssetsOther	24571000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	192835000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Gross DeferredTaxAssetsGross	213156000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	6567000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance	6806000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	186268000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Net DeferredTaxAssetsNet	206350000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Liabilities Fixed Assets And Intangibles DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFixedAssetsAndIntangibles	58220000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Deferred Tax Liabilities Fixed Assets And Intangibles DeferredTaxLiabilitiesFixedAssetsAndIntangibles	95797000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Deferred Expense Capitalized Research And Development Costs DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedResearchAndDevelopmentCosts	318340000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Deferred Expense Capitalized Research And Development Costs DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedResearchAndDevelopmentCosts	335833000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	3457000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities Other DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	8753000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	380017000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Income Tax Liabilities DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	440383000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	193749000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Liabilities DeferredTaxLiabilities	234033000	USD
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	1405000	USD
CY2013Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.18
CY2014	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	74946000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	54000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Prior Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions	-51000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Current Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	7000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Resulting From Current Period Tax Positions UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions	8000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Credit Carryforwards Alternative Minimum Tax DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax	1300000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets Tax Credit Carryforwards Foreign DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign	2300000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Foreign Tax Credit Carry Forward Valuation Allowance Increase ForeignTaxCreditCarryForwardValuationAllowanceIncrease	700000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	64577000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Net Income Loss Available To Common Stockholders Diluted NetIncomeLossAvailableToCommonStockholdersDiluted	62471000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Reductions Resulting From Lapse Of Applicable Statute Of Limitations UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations	66000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Unrecognized Tax Benefits UnrecognizedTaxBenefits	1150000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Tax Assets In Process Research And Development DeferredTaxAssetsInProcessResearchAndDevelopment	4400000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Undistributed Earnings Loss Allocated To Participating Securities Basic UndistributedEarningsLossAllocatedToParticipatingSecuritiesBasic	54000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Undistributed Earnings Loss Allocated To Participating Securities Basic UndistributedEarningsLossAllocatedToParticipatingSecuritiesBasic	46000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Undistributed Earnings Loss Allocated To Participating Securities Basic UndistributedEarningsLossAllocatedToParticipatingSecuritiesBasic	43000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Numerator For Basic Net Income Loss Per Share NumeratorForBasicNetIncomeLossPerShare	62885000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Numerator For Basic Net Income Loss Per Share NumeratorForBasicNetIncomeLossPerShare	55471000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Numerator For Basic Net Income Loss Per Share NumeratorForBasicNetIncomeLossPerShare	62626000	USD
CY2013Q1	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	89189000	USD
CY2014Q1	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	98032000	USD
CY2013Q2	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	94684000	USD
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	102521000	USD
CY2013Q3	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	100569000	USD
CY2014Q3	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	107493000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	98207000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Sales Revenue Net SalesRevenueNet	100511000	USD
CY2013Q1	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	25338000	USD
CY2014Q1	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	28344000	USD
CY2013Q2	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	28848000	USD
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	29713000	USD
CY2013Q3	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	29451000	USD
CY2014Q3	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	33013000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	26257000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Operating Income Loss OperatingIncomeLoss	31841000	USD
CY2013Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	14934000	USD
CY2014Q1	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	16543000	USD
CY2013Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	15413000	USD
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	15019000	USD
CY2013Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	16585000	USD
CY2014Q3	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	20388000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	15585000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Net Income Loss NetIncomeLoss	23039000	USD
CY2013Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.17
CY2014Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.19
CY2013Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.18
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.14
CY2014	dei	Document Type DocumentType	10-K
CY2014	dei	Amendment Flag AmendmentFlag	false
CY2014	dei	Document Period End Date DocumentPeriodEndDate	2014-12-31
CY2014	dei	Document Fiscal Year Focus DocumentFiscalYearFocus	2014
CY2014Q2	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.14
CY2014	dei	Document Fiscal Period Focus DocumentFiscalPeriodFocus	FY
CY2014	dei	Entity Registrant Name EntityRegistrantName	Iridium Communications Inc.
CY2014	dei	Entity Central Index Key EntityCentralIndexKey	0001418819
CY2014	dei	Current Fiscal Year End Date CurrentFiscalYearEndDate	--12-31
CY2014	dei	Entity Well Known Seasoned Issuer EntityWellKnownSeasonedIssuer	No
CY2014	dei	Entity Voluntary Filers EntityVoluntaryFilers	No
CY2014	dei	Entity Current Reporting Status EntityCurrentReportingStatus	Yes
CY2014	dei	Entity Filer Category EntityFilerCategory	Accelerated Filer
CY2014Q2	dei	Entity Public Float EntityPublicFloat	673600000	USD
CY2014	dei	Trading Symbol TradingSymbol	IRDM
CY2015Q1	dei	Entity Common Stock Shares Outstanding EntityCommonStockSharesOutstanding	93978398	shares
CY2013Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.19
CY2014Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.18
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	7000000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Deferred Revenue Noncurrent DeferredRevenueNoncurrent	20689000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.18
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Basic EarningsPerShareBasic	0.20
CY2013Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.17
CY2014Q1	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.19
CY2013Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.19
CY2014Q3	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.17
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.18
CY2012	us-gaap	Incremental Common Shares Attributable To Contingently Issuable Shares IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToContingentlyIssuableShares	0	shares
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Share Subscriptions PreferredStockShareSubscriptions	500000	shares
CY2014	irdm	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock Gross ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStockGross	50000000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Earnings Per Share Diluted EarningsPerShareDiluted	0.19
CY2014	irdm	Stock Issued During Period Value Issuance Of Common Stock StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueIssuanceOfCommonStock	98897000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Foreign Currency Transaction Gain Loss Before Tax ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax	0	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Foreign Currency Transaction Gain Loss Before Tax ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax	0	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Foreign Currency Transaction Gain Loss Before Tax ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax	-962000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Increases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveIncreases	27079000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Increases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveIncreases	26990000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Increases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveIncreases	15889000	USD
CY2012	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Decreases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveDecreases	0	USD
CY2013	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Decreases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveDecreases	0	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock	98897000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock	0	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	-2555000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	0	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Effect Of Exchange Rate On Cash And Cash Equivalents EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents	0	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Incremental Common Shares Attributable To Contingently Issuable Shares IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToContingentlyIssuableShares	0	shares
CY2013	us-gaap	Incremental Common Shares Attributable To Contingently Issuable Shares IncrementalCommonSharesAttributableToContingentlyIssuableShares	0	shares
CY2014	irdm	Invoice Received Payment Term Description InvoiceReceivedPaymentTermDescription	The Company currently uses the Credit Facility to pay 85% of each invoice received from Thales under the FSD, with the remaining 15% funded from cash on hand. Once the Credit Facility is fully drawn, the Company expects to pay 100% of each invoice received from Thales from cash and marketable securities on hand as well as internally generated cash flow
CY2014	irdm	Line Of Credit Facility Delay Of Contributions To Debt Service Reserve Account Description LineOfCreditFacilityDelayOfContributionsToDebtServiceReserveAccountDescription	The Supplemental Agreement includes revised financial covenant levels. The Supplemental Agreement also delays, until 2017, a portion of the contributions that the Company had been scheduled to make during 2014, 2015 and 2016 to the debt service reserve account that the Company is required to maintain under the Credit Facility. The Supplemental Agreement delays $22 million of the Companys 2014 contributions, $22 million of the Companys 2015 contributions and $32 million of the Companys 2016 contributions, for a total of $76 million
CY2014Q1	irdm	Line Of Credit Facility Minimum Cash Reserve Required Prior To Execution Of Supplemental Agreement LineOfCreditFacilityMinimumCashReserveRequiredPriorToExecutionOfSupplementalAgreement	94500000	USD
CY2014Q2	irdm	Line Of Credit Facility Minimum Cash Reserve Required After To Execution Of Supplemental Agreement LineOfCreditFacilityMinimumCashReserveRequiredAfterToExecutionOfSupplementalAgreement	83500000	USD
CY2014Q2	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Decrease CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveDecrease	11000000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Common Stock Purchase Price Per Share CommonStockPurchasePricePerShare	6.50
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Preferred Stock Shares Authorized PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	2000000	shares
CY2014	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Increase Accrued Interest LineOfCreditFacilityIncreaseAccruedInterest	50756000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Line Of Credit Facility Interest Payments During Period LineOfCreditFacilityInterestPaymentsDuringPeriod	49156000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Current Cash InterestPayableCurrentCash	2446000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain Before Tax AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax	450000	USD
CY2014Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss Before Tax AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax	316000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain Before Tax AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax	45000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Interest Incurred Cash InterestIncurredCash	15499000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Interest Payments Cash InterestPaymentsCash	15009000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Current Cash InterestPayableCurrentCash	2936000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Interest Incurred Deemed Loan InterestIncurredDeemedLoan	35257000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Interest Payments Deemed Loan InterestPaymentsDeemedLoan	34147000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Currentdeemedloan InterestPayableCurrentdeemedloan	6653000	USD
CY2012Q4	us-gaap	Interest Payable Current InterestPayableCurrent	5365000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Increase Accrued Interest LineOfCreditFacilityIncreaseAccruedInterest	39594000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Line Of Credit Facility Interest Payments During Period LineOfCreditFacilityInterestPaymentsDuringPeriod	36970000	USD
CY2012Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Current Cash InterestPayableCurrentCash	1630000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Interest Incurred Cash InterestIncurredCash	12071000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Interest Payments Cash InterestPaymentsCash	11255000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Interest Incurred Deemed Loan InterestIncurredDeemedLoan	27523000	USD
CY2013	irdm	Interest Payments Deemed Loan InterestPaymentsDeemedLoan	25715000	USD
CY2013Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Currentdeemedloan InterestPayableCurrentdeemedloan	5543000	USD
CY2013Q4	us-gaap	Available For Sale Securities Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss Before Tax AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax	61000	USD
CY2010	irdm	Percentage Of Company Obligations Insured PercentageOfCompanyObligationsInsured	0.95	pure
CY2014	us-gaap	Line Of Credit Facility Frequency Of Payment And Payment Terms LineOfCreditFacilityFrequencyOfPaymentAndPaymentTerms	Scheduled semi-annual principal repayments will begin six months after the earlier of (i) the successful deployment of a specified number of Iridium NEXT satellites or (ii) September 30, 2017.
CY2012Q4	irdm	Interest Payable Currentdeemedloan InterestPayableCurrentdeemedloan	3735000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Unrecognized Tax Benefits Expected Reverse Rolling Twelve Months UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsExpectedReverseRollingTwelveMonths	300000	USD
CY2014Q4	irdm	Amount Offset In Warranty Related Initiatives AmountOffsetInWarrantyRelatedInitiatives	1800000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Employee Stock Ownership Plan StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockOwnershipPlan	43000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Employee Stock Ownership Plan StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockOwnershipPlan	25000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Stock Issued During Period Value Employee Stock Ownership Plan StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockOwnershipPlan	1508000	USD
CY2012	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Reclassification Adjustment From Aoci Realized Upon Sale Or Liquidation Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIRealizedUponSaleOrLiquidationNetOfTax	-132000	USD
CY2013	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Reclassification Adjustment From Aoci Realized Upon Sale Or Liquidation Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIRealizedUponSaleOrLiquidationNetOfTax	-322000	USD
CY2014	us-gaap	Other Comprehensive Income Loss Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Reclassification Adjustment From Aoci Realized Upon Sale Or Liquidation Net Of Tax OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIRealizedUponSaleOrLiquidationNetOfTax	-2325000	USD
CY2014	irdm	Cash Restricted For Debt Service Reserve Decreases CashRestrictedForDebtServiceReserveDecreases	11009000	USD

Files In Submission

Name	View Source	Status
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0001144204-15-012061-index.html	Edgar Link	pending
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$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

2013 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000114420415012061 Filed on February 26, 2015

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$IRDM Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm

2013 Q4 Form 10-K Financial Statement

#000114420415012061 Filed on February 26, 2015

Income Statement

Balance Sheet

Cashflow Statement

Facts In Submission

Files In Submission

$IRDM
Iridium Communications Inc. Stock $irdm