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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Lmc0OVzm50YONME539HRv5WSOs2oAJ+LWUl+EYC+sqjOKVybbA4DKYCG1LA/pSpl
 YUx8XeVxD7gL3VYqdwXOOw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001203392-04-000004.txt : 20040106
<SEC-HEADER>0001203392-04-000004.hdr.sgml : 20040106
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040106112036
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001203392-04-000004
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040105
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040106

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SMITH DOUGLAS P
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001179286

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22350
		FILM NUMBER:		04508259

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O MERCURY INTERACTIVE CORPORATION
		STREET 2:		1325 BORREGAS AVENUE
		CITY:			SUNNYVALE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94089

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
</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>2004-01-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000867058</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MERCURY INTERACTIVE CORPORATION</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MERQ</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001179286</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SMITH DOUGLAS P</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>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive VP &amp; CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>24.29</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22305</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOw
nership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>51.0233</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2305</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><
derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-11-02</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-11-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><shar
esOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1030000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">50,000 shares vest immediately on the date of grant;  25% of the remaining shares vest on 11/2/02 and the remaining shares vest 1/48th per month thereafter, until fully vested.  </footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 200 shares, 565 shares and 1,035 shares acquired pursuant to the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan on February 15, 2002, August 15, 2002 and February 14, 2003, respectively.</footnote><footnote id="F3">This sale was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Susan J. Skaer, Attorney-in-fact for Douglas P. Smith</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate
></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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