-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 MDU9S6WmqXsHP540isxGpVm4Tup7kZDDLr4gSeWd6gvkhjoeiLr5nnIZZIUIxEJZ
 Fkb9o3pZClgQjIZEycDK7Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001180246-03-000003.txt : 20030919
<SEC-HEADER>0001180246-03-000003.hdr.sgml : 20030919
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030919122908
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001180246-03-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030919
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030919

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MERCURY INTERACTIVE CORPORATION
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000867058
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				770224776
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1325 BORREGAS AVE
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4088225200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1325 BORREGAS AVENUE
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ZINGALE ANTHONY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001180246

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22350
		FILM NUMBER:		03902215

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O INTERWOVEN INC
		STREET 2:		803 11TH AVE
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4085307719

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O INTERWOVEN
		STREET 2:		803 11TH AVE
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-19</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000867058</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MERCURY INTERACTIVE CORPORATION</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MERQ</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001180246</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ZINGALE ANTHONY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>MERCURY INTERACTIVE CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1325 BORREGAS AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94089</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1725</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>31.55</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2947</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature
></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1725</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>51.7354</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1222</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (
Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>31.55</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-19</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1725</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-08-15</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-06-27</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1725</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></po
stTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Received in the merger of Kintana, Inc. into Mercury Interactive Corporation (the &quot;Merger&quot;) in exchange for directors' stock options to purchase 18,146 shares of Kintana, Inc. common stock for $3.00 per share.  100% of the shares are vested on the effective date of the Merger.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This sale was effected pursuant to a 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan J. Skaer, Attorney-in-fact for Anthony Zingale</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----