This series of satellites based on the new generation Spacebus-4000C3 platform from satellite manufacturer Alcatel Space (Thales Alenia Space). The satellites were ordered by GE Americom as GE 1i, 2i, 3i, 4i and 2E. They were renamed to AMC after SES took over Americom from General Electric in 2001 and some were cancelled in this process. AMC 12 was originally ordered as GE 1i, and AMC 22 was originally GE 3i, but this one was cancelled.

AMC 12 features 72 C-Band transponders; it will provide digital TV, telecommunications, data and video transmissions, connecting over the Atlantic Ocean North and South America, Europe and Africa.

In early 2004, AMC 12 was transferred to Worldsat, LLC, a new subsidiary of SES Americom as Worldsat 2. In early 2005 few weeks before launch, it was renamed AMC-12 again.

Twenty-four transponders on AMC-12 have been contracted by SES ASTRA which will market this capacity in Africa under the name Astra 4A. 18 transponders will be operated by satellite operator Embratel Star One from Brazil as Star One C12.

AMC-12 was launched on February 3^rd, 2005, on a Proton M rocket operated by launch operator ILS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site in Kazachstan.

In March 2007, the satellite was transferred to SES New Skies (SES) and named NSS-10.