Final answer:
Higher education in Texas has significantly benefited from the space industry, with substantial contributions from industries related to aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, and business.
Step-by-step explanation:
Higher education in Texas has most prominently benefited from the space industry, with Houston, in particular, being home to NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. The University of Texas at Austin, like other educational institutions, actively influences government policies to secure funding for various projects, which can include grants, loans, and facilities. Texas's economy, historically rooted in oil and natural gas, has diversified to include high-tech industries, healthcare, business, and information sectors, all of which impact higher education funding and opportunities.
The high-tech industry, including aerospace and manufacturing, plays a crucial role in the Texan economy and, by extension, provides significant support to the state's higher education system.