Steph Curry says he got you all GOOD ... 'cause the Warriors superstar says he never actually thought the United States didn't land on the moon -- tellin' ESPN he was just kiddin' around!!!

"Obviously I was joking when I was talking on the podcast," Curry says.

Steph sent science and space geeks into another orbit this week when he claimed on The Ringer's "Winging It" podcast that astronauts never landed on the moon in 1969.

The claim went viral ... with everyone from athletes to even NASA's head, Jim Bridenstine, shading the NBA stud for the outrageous claim.

But, Steph says it was all one big joke -- and he waited until Wednesday to finally reveal that 'cause, "I was silently protesting how stupid it was that people actually took that quote and made it law."

Curry says, either way, he's definitely going to take NASA up on their offer to show him their moon rocks ... and says kids can learn a lesson from this whole drama.

"For kids out there that hang on every word that we say, which is important, understand that you should not believe something just because somebody says it."

"You should do your homework and understand what you actually believe. But I'm going to go to NASA and I'm going to enjoy the experience whole-heartedly."