How to terraform Mars and Venus
As distinguished from previous proposals for large-scale planetary engineering projects employing passive, explosive, orbital mechanical or biological agents to terraform various planets of the Solar System, the present paper offers an alternative means: Machine self-replicating systems (SRS). Terraforming via SRS involves the deposition of a small "seed" unit near the surface of the body to be altered, which then self-replicates into a giant factory complex capable of undertaking permanent modification of the target environment. SRS terraforming methods are suggested for Mars and Venus.
http://www.rfreitas.com/Astro/TerraformSRS1983.htm
