When this mission is activated, the TANTRUM device will discharge all the Ion Storm energy it has stored since it was last discharged (since being built if it was never discharged), causing all starships (regardless of ownership) within 3 light-years to be pushed away from the TANTRUM device. Starships that are at the same location will be pushed in a random direction. Other starships will be pushed directly away from the TANTRUM device. The distance the starships will be pushed is based on the mass of the starship being transported, the charge in the TANTRUM device (available from the Starship screen), and the starship's distance from the TANTRUM device (closer ships are pushed farther).
Starships being pushed away from the TANTRUM device may strike mines or webmines. Cloaking does not reduce or otherwise modify the distance moved. Starships with an Intercept mission will have their mission reset to Explore. The TANTRUM device will be completely discharged by this action. The activation of the TANTRUM device will not cause the starship containing it to be moved.
The charge of the TANTRUM device is accumulated from the charge of an ion storm. The increase in charge is half the difference between the current charge and the Ion Storm's charge.
Precise numbers with regard to the impact of TANTRUM activation are still classified. We know only this: that the distance moved is directly proportional to the ratio of charge to ship total mass, and that the effect decreases as initial distance from the TANTRUM device increases.
See also: Out of Fuel and Mentar's comments about the Tantrum Liner.