Orbital Sciences Corporation announced in May 2007 that it has received an order from SES AMERICOM for as many as five new satellites over a multi-year period. Orbital stated that SES AMERICOM has placed a firm order for two new satellites, the first designated as AMC-5R and the second a ground spare that was launched to another orbital location as a replacement satellite.

Deliveries of the first two satellites are scheduled for mid- and late-2009, respectively. In addition to the two satellites that Orbital will immediately begin constructing, the contract gives SES AMERICOM the option to order up to three more identical satellites over the next few years.

The AMC-5R and the identical ground spare spacecraft will be hybrid satellites, each carrying 24 active C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders of 36 MHz capacity. Some of the channels in each band will also be cross-strapped, enabling new service capabilities. Each spacecraft will generate approximately five kilowatts of payload power and will have two deployable reflectors.