I imagine they do that embarrassing routine so that American TV channels would report on their achievements.

If they stick to science, Fox News won't mention it. And if Fox News never mentions NASA, then people get upset about spending their tax dollars on an organization that seemingly does nothing...

In Russia, you have to remember to thank Putin. In USA, you have to remember to wave the flag with sufficient enthusiasm. It's the same thing -- Russians just prefer personified nationalism while Americans rally around abstracted symbols (flag, original text of the Constitution, etc.)