Adventure vs. science
Achievements like the lunar landing have the appeal of pure adventure (despite being a very organize technological and scientific programs), while rovers and probes have not - despite being very advanced science. Inevitably, the average person is far more attracted by the former - as we can see from the many PR stunts of people attempting to achieve far less far less scientific and technological ones - but still reach a wide audience because of their "adventurous" appeal.
Far fewer will be excited by the details in images of Tombaugh Regio from Pluto shot by New Horizon.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
