Google NASA Alliance Slow to Mature

Cnet covers the state of the boisterously announced alliance from last year. Why the slowness? The article points to culture, based on talks by Google’s director of research, Peter Norvig, and another by NASA Ames’ director of strategic relationships, Chris Kemp at the Space 2006 conference:

Norvig and Kemp said the problems in the relationship surrounded differences in culture—Google’s young staff is on the fast track when it comes to product cycles versus NASA’s largely older staff that takes a cautious, methodical approach to research and development. (Astronauts going up in the space shuttle surely appreciate the latter.)

I’m sure that has something to do with it; on the other hand, did the two alliance members really know what they wanted out of the partnership?