Integral | Define Integral at Dictionary.com
dictionary.reference.com/browse/integral
Integral definition, of, relating to, or belonging as a part of the whole; constituent or component: integral parts.
Is Star Trek considered an integral part of Pop Culture? Of course it is.
The quote below is taken from the source cited. It is a pretty good read, overall, but worth it if you doubt Star Trek's pop culture integration. Or, even if you do not,
Oxford University Press
Journal of Consumer Research
"Utopian Enterprise: Articulating the Meanings of Star Trek's Culture of Consumption"
"Star Trek is perhaps one of the great consumption phenomena of our time. The science fiction series has been hailed as “the most successful and lucrative cult phenomenon in television history” (Entertainment Weekly 1994, p. 9). To date, the original Star Trek television series (which ran from 1966 to 1969 and became enormously popular in syndication) has spawned four spin-off series and nine major motion pictures, and it has accounted for billions of dollars in licensed merchandise revenues. Exemplifying a cultural phenomenon, Star Trek fans run the gamut from commonplace mainstream viewers to highly devoted members of an alternative subculture."