That sounds like empty rhetoric to me. Is there actually any evidence for the manned space program being "the force that excites people to want to become scientists in the first place"? I am skeptical.

Even if true, there are likely far more cost-effective ways of generating the same interest, either with robots or other educational programs. I don't see why a robotic program can't be inspirational. And anyway we don't have any shortage of scientists right now.